I'm with you Kazzo. I'm the first of my generation to have kids in my family so there haven't been little kids around for a while and EVERYONE before me has smacked. Apparently 'it's the only way'. At least I don't have any friends who do it so I'm not faced with that. I do wonder what my friends will be like as parents when they have kids and how that will change our relationship. I expect that, like you, I will find it difficult if they hit their kids.

I don't smack, and I don't threaten to. I try not to threaten with any punishment at all (although I fail at this a lot). I just don't think punishment teaches the right thing. And physical violence from anyone is just not on in my house, whether you call it smacking, hitting, or 'discipline'.