Eva Mendes sparked a debate on Instagram after sharing a quote about spanking children

• Eva Mendes shared a quote about spanking children.
• The quote, which Mendes posted on her Instagram page, compared spanking children to domestic abuse.
• But some users disagreed, arguing in comments that physical punishment wasn't always a bad thing.

Eva Mendes inadvertently started a debate on Instagram after sharing a quote comparing spanking children to domestic abuse.

The actress shared two photos to her account on Tuesday - one was an image of her in a nude gown on the red carpet, and the other was a screenshot of a quote that read, "Spanking does for a child's development what hitting a spouse does for a marriage."

"I'm often asked what my favorite red carpet dress is. This @versace is definitely up there," Mendes captioned her post, adding, "I'm not often asked what my favorite parenting quote is, but I'll post it anyway."

In the comments section of her post, numerous users agreed with Mendes' stance on spanking.

"Every time I was 'disciplined' growing up, I only felt fear and shame," one user wrote. "IT never 'corrected' behavior. I would never hit my child to teach them a lesson and inflict psychological and physical pain."

Another person wrote, "If an adult hits an adult that's called assault and they can press charges and end up in jail yet when a defenseless child is hit it's called discipline."

But a few users spoke out in support of physical punishment.

"Love you but completely disagree," one user commented. "The goal in raising kids is not to have to spank, but it's correcting before they can reason behavior out with you. Completely different than hitting someone."

"I don't know. I was spanked and now I'm a respectful adult. And believe me, I deserved those whoopings. I was a brat," another fan wrote.

Mendes subsequently responded to the fan who said they "deserved" to be spanked as a child, writing, "Thank you for your comment. So happy to agree to disagree."

"We all parent our own way and I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time. This didn't come with a manual," Mendes added. "So when there's something that resonates with me, I pass it on. Lotsa love."

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shared their most recent statement against physical punishment for children in November 2018, Insider previously reported.

The policy states that corporal punishment is "ineffective in the longer-term" and pointed towards research that links spanking with "negative behavioral, cognitive, psychosocial, and emotional outcomes" for kids later in life, recommending that parents use "healthy" forms of discipline instead, like positive reinforcement of good behavior and setting limits.

Mendes shares 2 daughters with actor Ryan Gosling

Mendes has been in a relationship with her "Place Beyond the Pines" costar Ryan Gosling since 2011. The couple has two daughters together: Esmeralda, 6, and Amada, 4.

This isn't the first time the actress has been vocal about her lifestyle and parenting choices on social media.

In January, when a user accused Mendes of getting plastic surgery and taking a hiatus from Instagram, the star had a powerful response.

"I'm posting less because I really want to be present for my family. My little ones need me and posting takes up too much time. As far as getting work done, I'll do that whenever I please. But no, that's not the reason," Mendes wrote at the time.