These would include pillories and stocks.
Just the threat of the embarrassment of public humiliation would work many times.
When it didn't, trot the problem child off to be punished.
If a parent became over zealous, other parents or a cop could pull them away before the spanking turned into a beating.
If a parent became over zealous, other parents or a cop could pull them away before the spanking turned into a beating.
Many people miss that this was exactly the point of the Old Testament prescription for handling the incorrigible.
The elders of the city were involved to determine if the parents were indeed experiencing incorrigibility or other action needed to be taken before the final judgement of stoning.