Even if hitting were to be proper parenting, common sense and halacha , it would only be in situations where it is warranted. In any other case, someone would be a regular chovel . If someone ever hit a kid in a situation where there is no chiyuv chinuch , they are doing an issur d’oraisa .
So, if someone hit a kid because he is doing something obnoxious which he will not do as an adult, he did an issur d’oraisa . Or if there was a better way to teach him but someone hit him, he did an issur d’oraisa . Are we really such experts on chinuch that we are ready to decide on a safek issur d’oraisa ?
Or, if times really have changed and hitting is no longer warranted almost ever, he is doing many isurei d’oraisa !
How will we know what to do? There is negligent parenting in front of us and issurei d’oraisa behind us! That is why we have experts and poskim. How about posting some present day American sources. (verifiable ones please)
P.S. Hey everyone, look how good I got at italics! I’m so excited. It’s transforming my coffee room experience.
EDITED