Thank you StripesTO and again, thank you Nomad.

I believe that it is extremely important for everyone to be able to express their own opinions openly on a forum like this and for everyone's opinion to be looked at with an open mind.
Although we may not always agree with the opinion of another, there is no wrong answer to a question such as 'where does spanking fit?' It is different for every single person and the degree of spanking/bdsm that each person willingly and comfortably (i use that word loosely) chooses to engage in, is what is right for them,
so as StripesTO so beautifully put it 'Whatever you believe the answer to be is exactly what it is!'

To address Nomad's point about Punishment, It is my belief that punishment and spanking go hand in hand, and anyone who was spanked as a child will agree with that, you did something wrong, you were spanked, you were forgiven and it was all over with.
I do believe, as it has been my own personal experience that people do not stop 'needing' that discipline and structure just because they turn 18, and for such people, myself included, there are no sexual aspects to the spanking, it is strictly about discipline and punishment and atoning for wrong-doings and knowing that when it is all over, you are forgiven and for me, that is the best feeling in the world!

I cannot comment on how much or if any that punishment is involved in BDSM because I really have no idea, but I would feel that BDSM is more related to ultimate submission and dominance, not necessarily brought on by any particular misdeed but moreso because both parties have come to that arrangement and that is what they willingly do...i.e....that is what is right for them.

so maybe it is not for us to worry about where spanking fits but more to be concerned about whether we are being true to what spanking means to us or are we sacrificing our own individual and unique position in that lawn by trying to fit in, when if we just stepped back and took a look at the bigger picture, we would see that each and every one of us already holds a position of prominence.

Just be who you are.

Take care all,

Ami.xx.