Speaking to a 'hitting parent', think about the last time you spanked your child. Think about the mood you were in. If you had just received a huge salary bonus or raise, and had been in a terrific mood, do you think you'd have still hit your child?
Probably not.
That means that the spanking can be attributed to your mood rather than the child's behavior.
Just something to think about.
I have a few friends whose dads have a hitting jacket"- when they feel their kid deserves a smack, they first go to the closet and put on this jacket- this gives them time to cool down and assess if they are hitting due to their mood or the behavior of the kid