[BarefootBetsy]

Literally speaking... spanking is hitting. You can NOT spank without hitting. I've asked people how they're managing to spank their child(ren) without hitting them and usually that gets a lightbulb to go on.

If someone is spanking without hitting... well... I'd say that they aren't actually spanking

I'm quoting myself from here:

And now, what exactly is “spanking” and how does that fit in with what we have learned so far in our small study? Dictionary.com has several definitions:

to strike
a blow or slap
to slap or smack

Okay. So, it’s basically hitting. Striking, slapping, and smacking someone are all forms of hitting and the phrase “coming to blows with someone” generally indicates a fight which involves hitting. I’m not going to tiptoe around this terminology, I think that would be insulting to the readers of this blog. I want to always be honest with you, even if the truth as I see it is difficult to read.

Just to be thorough, here are the dictionary.com definitions of “hit:”

to deal a blow
to come against with an impact
to strike

I find it interesting to note that neither “hit” nor “spank” are listed in the definitions of each other. It would appear that our culture does not consider spanking to be hitting even though they share many of the same definitions and, from outward appearance alone, would appear to be the exact same act.

Yes, spanking is often done with the best of intentions, but when it comes right down to it, it’s hitting. In fact, it’s hitting someone much smaller than the person doing the hitting – something which we teach our children not to do and, I assure you, the irony is not lost on them even when it may not be recognized by the parent in question.

The definitions are almost identical I have yet to meet someone who could spank without hitting... even though many people insist that spanking isn't hitting before they've thought about it logically.