I had a less than stellar household, was punched several times in the head by a parent so I put them in a headlock to get them to calm down. Spent several months in juvenile detention because of my “assault.”
Later came to learn, after my useless public defender advised I plead guilty, that would have been legally considered self defense.
About a year later the same parent started slapping me in the face. I called the police this time but to my disappointment was informed slaps are legally acceptable but closed-fist strikes are not. So a punch or hammer fist would be child abuse and criminally punishable. For further clarification, belts, breadboards, the famous “switch,” are all legal so long as it’s not physically, permanently damaging.
As with most things human law, it’s up to interpretation and will vary by responding officer and such.
This was circa 2008 so we’re not talking “1950s America” here.
Maybe true in the 21st century, but certainly not true earlier than that. And re: sibling comment, it wasn't only happening in the American South but other regions as well.
Hitting children with a belt is neither broadly accepted by society nor is it legally acceptable. Calling it “spanking” doesn’t give people a free pass from the law.