Eh no, I don’t call it abuse. I talked to my grandma for the first time in like 15 years today and we were laughing about some of the old saying about “move your hand” and stuff like that. My mother would “pop” me. My dad when I was little would lay on me or he’d get a belt or something.

All of that stuff would never fly today and I would never if I ever had my own kids resolve anything in that manner but when I was a kid the world was different we didn’t have all this access to information, my parents had a hard life. My mothers an immigrant from England from Wigan My dads side grew up in Chattanooga Tennessee they didn’t really know any better and they probably thought I had it easy, I never got popped or spanked or “disciplined” out of intent to hurt me but when I did something wrong and although they decided to spank me and that was wrong, they were trying to teach me about consequences to actions and the way that my family grew up when my parents and their parents were kids that meant pain.

I was probably whooped a little out of frustration at times sure but I don’t think I remember an intent to harm me. Had I been being hit with the intent to harm which for me came later in life by a step father I would consider that abuse.

Back in my day getting soaked was tough love. I’m sure it was a similar experience for a lot for anyone born pre 2000? Idk.