Maybe then what we can say is that most of recognised methods of chastising your children are ok as long as they are done in the right way.

I smack my four year old not often as the chair works well for him ( he is hard work at the best of times ) and he didnt flinch either when i flicked near his face lol. If I do smack him its with an explanation as to why he is getting a smack and its on the back of his hand, its the act rather than pain (of which there is little) which makes him cry.