Well wacking a child is absurd. I could understand maybe a tap on the hands but not in the face. I learned in parenting that is a stage called trust vs. mistrust. You can really screw up a cilds trust and head. It would teach a child to close up and they trully wouldn't blossom like they should. If you let thier creativity blossom and teach them with kindness not a board with your name on it then things would actually might be ok.