If I were a parent, I would consider it violent to hit a child on the buttocks, closed hand or open hand, even if they are disobedient. Hitting a child across face is worse than hitting a child in the buttocks. Spanking is just a form of punishment and there are other ways to punish someone, like a timeout. Dr. Sears, a well respected pediatrician and Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, had something important to say in hisarticle “10 Reasons Not to Hit Your Child”. “Spanking demonstrates that it's all right for people to hit people, and especially for big people to hit little people, and stronger people to hit weaker people.”  I was spanked by my mom and my dad. My dad spanked me more than my mom. My mom only spanked me once. I kicked my mom's belly when she was very pregnant with my little sister. I think I deserved itbut my mom still feels bad because she says she knows she did it because she was angry and she believes that is definitely a really wrong time to spank.

I think it is not acceptable to spank your child no matter what age they are. Spanking them to teach is not the answer.  If you spank a child all you’re doing is teaching them it is okay to hit. All I can remember when I got spanked is that I got hit. I don’t remember “why” at all and that is probably all a child remembers.

            It seems to me that when we hit we are angry. When we were young we were all probably told it was wrong to hit. Why don't you follow that when you are older? Maybe parents/caregivers should go in time out. You might be surprised how well it works! It does you good. I think adults forget or don't know that we need to take break now and then, an adult “time out”. We need a break even more when you're angry.

I think it never should be acceptable to use physical punishment of any kind or under any condition. It isn’t necessary, no matter the age is a child. Would you physically hurt someone that is your age? Why would you hurt someone younger and littler than you?