I am very curious about it though, because here in my country it was very common to physically discipline children using a belt. I think it still is, but not as used to be.
I thought it was technically ilegal for adults to physically discipline their children, or at least, that is what we were taught about your country here in South America.
I am very curious then what is your idea on correctly raising children and how to get them correctly disciplined, because in one hand I am sure you are the kind of person who would still demand obedience (or some degree of it), because of the political views you have. Trump himself has declared he believes obedience to him is quite important among his staff and his voters. So where are you supposed to draw the line between obedience and independent thinking?
Using the belt to discipline should be the final measure. In the Bible OT, an obstinate child was to be stoned (executed) by the whole Israelite community - approximately 2.5 million people at the time.
As far as illegal in the US, it is only that way because of the way most parents have set themselves and their children up in relation to the US government. Originally in the US, the people did not have a relationship with the Federal Government except for elections. It was a State thing back then. Gradually people used the Right to Contract to set themselves up with the Federal Government, without realizing what they were doing, and what their rights still are.
Independent thinking is available to all children. Obeying is what counts regarding punishment. Until they turn 18 - 21 (depending on the State), they are under the authority of their parents. However, a parent harming his child in a seriously bad way can be disciplined by the State or Federal Government... except for killing them through abortion, of course. Abortion killing is allowed, and has produced at least 60-million deaths in the US by now.