Children today often come from single parent families, and they certainly aren't smacked.  So my little granddaughter didn't like the old woman in the shoe one little bit.  But - when I tried to change the words to this poem, she said, at a very early age:  "Granny - she didn't kiss them sweetly and tuck them in bed."  So I said "What did she do then?"  Jessica's face clouded over as she whispered "She smacked them".  So I think this is much the better version for the modern child - free of all violence and starvation and living in inaccessible and ridiculous places.  In other words:  A reality poem, I hope.