What you say is quite true, and the reason why my children were well-behaved and reliable upon reaching majority. But that was in a different era,40-50 years ago. But now, if you physically discipline and your child or and observers see and report it, Child Protective Services will remove the child and put you in jail.
Snicker. That’s part of the point of starting discipline young. You don’t need much and later when they could have reported you there’s no need for it.
Seriously it is a problem when the State is interfering and suggesting any spanking is grounds for removing your children. Inventiveness can still free you to do the right thing for your children.
We used water torture. If one of my kids had a meltdown I filled a glass of water at the sink. If they were still screaming when I got back I pored the water over their head. One kid was stubborn & needed two once. After the first time when I started filling the glass they would pull themselves together and just move on. I recommend it, you stop being mad because they are so funny dripping wet & screaming. Humor always defuses a situation.