

It’s not.
The legal distinction hinges on “reasonable force”. In the U.S., parental corporal punishment (like spanking) is legal in all 50 states if it is intended for correction, is appropriate for the child’s age, and leaves no lasting injury. Abuse occurs when force becomes excessive, unreasonable, or causes physical or emotional harm.






CPS (or as they call it here, department of child safety) doesn’t care about spanking.