An interesting perspective to see only what you want to in my comments. Nowhere are my points advocating that you have to do one or the other in an abusive way, merely that just because a parent doesn't smack there child doesn't mean they are good parents. Nor did I at any point draw any conclusions between prior mental abuse and any sort of vengeful parenting.

Personally, I would find drawing inferences between a slap behind the knees as literally violence to be insulting to those that actually are subject to it.

As I mentioned, verbal or physical abuse is, and always will be, about the motive and the intent behind it.

I wouldn't smack my own children. But if I saw someone else do it under a certain context or conditions, I wouldn't automatically lump them in with the real scumbags in the this world.

I've witnessed situations involving true abuse and exploitation (not all of it physical violence), and every time I return home from my rotations I was thankful I live in a country progressive enough to debate the legalities of what constitutes moral parenting and ethics. But as I mentioned, we take a hard stance to protect the few, and that's ultimately a good thing, as it leaves no room for misinterpretation in the courts, or someone getting away with something on a technicality. But do I believe every person who ever smacked a child was wrong to do so. No.

Anyways, its against the law. So there is no debate as to whether it should or should not form part of good parenting (in this country anyway). I was merely advocating that not all things are as simple as they first appear.

Consider this, its against the law to drive over the limit. However, are you more or less guilty if you get pulled over the following day, having gone to bed, eaten a breakfast and then left a friends house to drive home, than someone who drives that night with reckless disregard. As I said intent/motive has a lot to answer for in life.

That's ultimately how I judge anyone, not against a set of laws that can be contested and picked apart by solicitors and barristers. They define the society we live in, and give it meaning and context. But living within them by no means determines you to be a good person. Bankers destroyed peoples lives in 2008 and they did it within a legal framework. Their motives were anything but pure.

But I get off topic. Listen I'm not saying that smacking is right, but nor am I saying it is wrong 100% of the time. Just that it is law, and therefore I for one follow it.