I don't think that a sharp smack on the bottom qualifies as abuse. Kids do worse things to themselves by accident when they fall off the playgrounds or trip over cracks in the sidewalk, but I also don't think it's okay for anybody BUT the parent to punish in such a manner. It's nobody's business but the parent's.
I only remember being spanked once as a child, and it's because I had stuffed my pockets with candy at the grocery store when I didn't know any better. I never did it again, and as far as I'm concerned, I turned out to be a fine human being.
I'm not advocating parents slapping their children around every time they mouth off or have a tantrum, but when it comes to really big things like hitting other children, stealing, or hurting the pets, a stronger message needs to be sent than "Go to your room". Again, I'm not advocating breaking wooden spoons on your kids or whipping them with belts.
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