Many people confuse spanking and popping these days with child abuse. My friend, Madrocka poised a question and made a comment about this on her blog. She put the question up about discipline.

So, here is my comment on spanking and popping a child and how many see this as child abuse.
But the two are vastly different. A child who acts up or does something wrong needs to be disciplined in some form or fashion. They need to know that there are repercussions to their actions. Let's say your child steals something from the child next door.
Do you just say "Don't do that again" and go on your way. No, I think not. You confront them about it, give them a little sting on the rear then make them take it back and apologize to that person.
Spare thy rod and spoil the child.

Abuse would be the same situation only you go off your rocker and beat the hell out of the child and lock them in a closet for two days. People today are afraid to deal out discipline these days in fear that they will be in trouble with the law.
That's why our criminal system is filling to the max because many kids play on that fear. Nobody makes them responsible for their own actions. They go after the parents instead.
What's that telling them. "hey!. I can do what ever I want and my parents will pay the price." Putting the blame off on someone else for their actions teaches them what?

I was appalled when our local High School busted several students for dealing drugs on campus. I wasn't appalled because the kids got arrested but rather the fact that many parents were mad because the kids got busted.
They said "Your ruining that kids chance of a future." Yeah. A future headed towards prison or worse.
They were not concerned that little Johnny and Jane were dealing drugs to their own kids and ruining their futures. We have become a nation of blamers only it's always someone else's fault and not our own.

Someone spills hot coffee in their lap from the local bugger doodle and then we sue because the coffee was what? HOT.
So it has to be someone else's fault that I fumbled and spilled it. But not mine.
What's next? Getting in a car wreck and suing the car maker, the seatbelt maker, tire maker, gas station, paint supplier etc etc. I mean after all, if all these things hadn't made the car in the first place, I'd never of had the wreck.

So it must not be my fault. It was yours.