Should slapping or spanking be considered child abuse?

[Jachut 487]

the thing is with slapping and spanking, its often done in a fit of anger. I will admit I have slapped and I've done it thinking superficially that the misdeed justifies the punishment, but if I'm honest, I've done it when I've just flipped it and it makes ME feel better to lash out. That's not right, its not good parenting and its a loss of control, but hey, we're all human and my kids are well adjusted and know that I love them. Its a very rare event.

Planning a spanking, like preparing for it and explaining your'e going to do it and why, that's just weird to me, that's seriously planning to physically cause your child pain, not on. Nor is using implements.

But on the other hand, i think as a society we're way way too easy on our kids. They have everything that opens and shuts, they are definitely not learning a work ethic, they dont know the meaning of saving for things, doing without, making do, economising. I try to enforce these lessons on my kids and I have to listen to constant whining about why dont they have what other kids have when we also earn good incomes. I hope it pays off as adults becuase its painful to live thorugh now. But I see coming through my classroom every year a generation of spoiled, undicisiplined chidlren. Lovely kids, great personalities, loving, kind, all sorts of good things, but spoiled and undiisciplined all the same. And it coincides with our generation getting squeamish about punishments, and phyiscal punishment in particular. There's somethign to be said for instant, painful retribution for doing the wrong thing.

So.... I'm on the fence. I've not felt good about spanking when I've done it becuase I know its been an out of control anger reaction.