So,as long as you hit the child on the backside and not the head,as long as you don`t leave a mark,that`s ok? Smacking and hitting are the same meaning..you are inflicting pain on another human being,whether a mark is left or not. The kid will grow up thinking it`s ok to lash out as soon as he gets in a temper..or he might turn into a school bully..picking on the smaller kids,just coz he can..after all,why wouldn`t he? He`ll of seen his dad doing it