I do think you'd have to hit pretty hard to damage a kid's spine. The slaps I've administered didn't even move a small child physically at all.

Slag, I think that's a big part of it. On the few occasions that my parents smacked me, I was never in any doubt that they still loved me, and I'm sure my kids would say the same. I think maybe attitude has a lot to do with how the smack affects the child. I always hugged my kids after smacked them, which may sound contradictory, but I think they understood.

There is also the fact of the smack administered when absolutely at the end of one's tether. Not a good thing at all, but an awful lot of parents have done it and felt terrible immediately after.



Love Lynne