Folks ... it has to be said, with Les. There IS a difference - a HUGE difference - between a skelp reasonably~administered by a parent's hand (or slipper) on a child's bare legs and/or buttocks AND the sheer brutality involved in the use of clenched fists, "shod" feet or hard stick, for example. Punching, kicking or using any blunt instrument as a means of disciplining youngsters is, at best, cowardly - at worst, downright sadistic - and will, ultimately, defeat the whole purpose of the exercise.

Notice I mentioned the [least harmful] sites for the slap ... it should NOT be inflicted anywhere above the lower body area(s) and most certainly NEVER on - or near - the head ... since so-doing would, by definition, be tantamount to an actual beating - with potentially tragic - even lethal - consequences were it carried out indiscriminately during a fit of anger.