Do you really think that's how it works in any but the most abusive families?
Also, what do you mean by "the most abusive"? If we are talking the entire world, I'd guess that's how it works in >80% of religious families. Perhaps that number is lower in US, but not by much. Considering how abusive it is, I'd say the most families are "the most abusive".
P.S. in the first para by "normal" I mean that if you ask many random religious people of age 30+ most of them would consider that behavior normal.
I bet if you don't put any bad words in your question like I did in my statement, and simply ask "would you consider normal making child pray before he can eat?" even among well-educated religious people many will answer "yes". Try on your close friends, eye opening thing it is.
I was raised in a religious household, am 30+, and don't consider coerced prayer of the type that seems to be described [0] normal (in fact, I find coerced prayer theologically unsound.)
OTOH, I wouldn't be surprised to find it fairly common.
[0] An expectation of respectful silence while someone else leads prayer, or an offer without obligation to lead group prayer, certainly. But coerced prayer is another thing altogether.
Do you have children? If you do, do you coerce them into your religion (btw what is it)? If you do, how?