Reason with a little reinforcement to the bee-hind?

While few things irritate me more than people beating on their children, I am nevertheless old school enough to believe that judicious use of corporal punishment by the parents can be a good thing.  Trying to only use reason with a child who has not yet developed proper reasoning who might be a little monster to others, might do things like stick forks in electrical outlets, pull hot pots off the stove or wander dangerously close to a pond, run into the street without looking, etc. is not the approach I would use.  Better to use reason and, when needed, also impart a message that certain things will have unpleasant consequences until reason comes along.