THAT awkward moment...

Thinking about it, if this woman and her 6 yr old hadnt eaten lunch and it was midafternoon, that kid was hungry. My daughter has meltdowns and tantrums in one of two circumstances, hunger and fatigue. When my daughter is having a meltdown I know I need to stop and ask myself when she was last fed, or if she needs to go to bed or take a nap. Not to say that the mom's behavior was not a problem, adults should have a better handle on their needs and emotions (like the ability to recognize hunger and connect it with being a total bitch). I have gotten to the point of being hungry myself when I did haul off and hit someone, but it was my husband and while I can't say he deserved it, because no one deserves to be hit. He was provoking a very hungry pregnant woman, but ultimately the problem was mine and my repetedly ignoring being hungry until I stopped being hungry and instead became an evil bitch. I can't guess what was going on with the woman in your story, but regardless, thats not the way to handle a kid with a meltdown.

I always struggle to see how this is even a debate. Like people fighting for the right to hit/swat/spank a kid?  Really?  It bothers me that we are such a punishment oriented society.  Research over and over and over again has shown that punishment is never a good deterrent for misbehavior, regardless of whether you're talking about kids or adults. 

Kids have difficulty controlling their emotions at these ages and it's the responsibility of adults to control their  emotions and refrain from striking a child when they're feeling scared, angry, or like they have no control over a situation.  

I have said something to parents in public who spank/hit their kids in front of me.  Call it your parenting rights if you want, but I think it's bull. 

Didn't mean to sound judgemental

 i have spanked my child for life threating situations (when she was too young to understand the gravity of what she had done) and once for heinous disrespect (something i'm not proud of).

now that i have that out of the way, this is where people usually start asking me if i think i'm perfect.

 in situations like those described by the OP the hitting is RARELY b/c it's what the parent think is right or most effective for thier child. you'd have to be pretty P.O'd to slap ANYONE in the face.(i know i've actually slapped people in the face) before slapping your CHILD in the face you do not stop and think about the merits of this discipline method. you're doing it out of anger and frustration, which IMO takes it out of the realm of discipline.

this take me to a personal pet peeve of mine.  i can only speak about america b/c that's where i live, but in america children are often viewed as property. as another poster mention, if that woman had done that to an adult she could have been arrested, but suddenly b/c the child emerged from her uterus it's ok. of course parents have the right to discipline their children. it's a hard line to draw, and maybe that woman was having a bad day and when she went home she wasnt proud of herself either. ni think it's our duty as a society to say "you know what, it aint illegal, but that doenst make it right." 

Legal or not it doesn't make the situation any less awkward for anbody who has to watch it.  It would be awkward to watch anyone being hit whether it's a man hitting a woman, a teen hitting another teen or someone hitting their dog.  Only difference is that all of those situations are reportable but if you say something about a parent hitting their child then everyone jumps down your throat because you are being judgemental.

I agree with the OP and PP.  If you have to hit twice in a half hour then the parent is slapping too often that the punishment is no longer effective (if it ever was).  

I agree with you that no one wants to be seen as judgemental, and that being legal doesn't make it morally right, however if someone swats their child for misbehaving no one has the right to tell them not to. They're doing what they think is right for their children and in the eyes of the law it's allowed. I was hit as a child, too, and two swats within thirty minutes for blatant disrespect, misbehavior, and causing a scene would not be unusual in my family.

of course everyone is entitled to thier opinions, and i not about to suggest other wise but i personally feel that part of the problem in america today is that unless a parent is doing something illegal if you express disapproval then you're being judgemental. legal doesnt mean morally right.

maybe we'd have a better society all around if people would stop being so accepting of crap parenting. parents get away with all kinds of shit b/c no one wants to be seen as judgemental.

i agree with the OP, if you feel the need to slap your child twice in a 30 minute period, it's not the kid, it's you. we got hit as punishment regularly, but never twice in such a short period of time.