Are those things even questions for this day and age ! Smacking children and depriving them of food is just wrong imo. If someone came on here and said they hit their husband or wife and refused them dinner when they didn't behave the way they wanted, we would say that was abuse. So why would this not apply to a child?!

I understand that being a parent is a difficult job and everyone gets cross, that's natural. As a punishment of choice I find unacceptable.