It is assault, and bad parenting.
I don't know anyone who smacks. It's just not socially acceptable any more.
Isn't it funny how childcare professionals, in nurseries for example, manage to get the kids to behave without resorting to physical violence - which is exactly what smacking is. That's because there is never a reason to hit a child.
There is a body of evidence to show that hitting a child is harmful and abusive. Look at the NSPCC's campaign against smacking, for example.
You wouldn't hit an adult with a mental age of three. So why is it ok to hit a three year old child just because they have half your DNA? Because it isn't.
And I'm so tired of that boring old chestnut, you have to smack to teach them not to run across the road, or not put their fingers in an electric socket. I've managed to teach four children not to do any of those dangerous things, without once resorting to physical violence. It's not hard.
Or those who say, it's just a tap. Well, that's fine, then. If it doesn't hurt, I don't have a problem with it.
Ask any child psychologist. There is never, ever a reason to smack.
And to those who say, I smacked, and it never did me any harm. It clearly did, as you obviously think it is acceptable to assault a child. So it did do some harm.
I was smacked regularly as a child. I fell into a physically abusive relationship later in life and I honestly believe I accepted that abuse more readily - the first time he hit me my first thought was, This feels really familiar.
There is no excuse, ever. It is bad, lazy parenting and should be banned.