Hitting infers abuse. Spanking is not abuse. But sure, I will argue why it's acceptable to hit your children for the same reasons I've already stated. A 3 year old does not have the understanding to have a discussion about why what they are doing is wrong. You start there. Then they keep doing it. Then you say don't do that again. They do again. Then you say don't do it again, or I'm going to hit you. They do it again. A swift smack on the bum bum communicates to a 3 year old what nothing else can.