Quote:
Originally posted by lightning_8669
We made the mistake of hiding our Mother's wooden spoons. She came after us with a steel strainer spoon. We returned the wooden ones pretty quickly
|
My mother was a "creative spanker." A hair brush, a spatula, a sandal, yard stick, fly swatter . . . she would use the best tool available. My parents usually spanked in anger. I saw the value in spanking but not the method.
We've spanked our children, but, we've used a more methodical approach, and not the "flail your tail" method. Punishment ranged from one to three "whacks." The punishment fit the crime, obviously, the "worse" the crime the more whacks (not to exceed three) were administered. Often times, after administering punishment, I cried more than they did. It was a lesson in "consequences." My daughter, once, when about ten years old, went through a rather rebellious week. We endured it as long as we could, until, she had pushed beyond the limit. She was sent to her room and told to await her punishment. I entered with the 'designated instrument' (a short flat wooden slat, a little longer than a ruler, which we kept in a "special place" for all to see) and administered the two whacks my wife and I felt the crime deserved. I left the room feeling, as always, torn apart for having to be a disciplinarian. About five minutes after, we heard the door to my daughter's room open. She walked down the hall and slowly entered the kitchen where my wife and I were sitting. She sat on the sofa, silently for a moment, then said, "I needed that spanking, daddy. I haven't been nice." I choked back the tears. It was then, that I realized that she understood what consequences for one's actions were. Luckily, the times that punishment of that sort have been necessary, for each of my children, could be counted on one hand with digits left over. They're now in their teens. Ask either of them who their best friends are. They will say, "my mom and dad." To me, that's the best compliment a parent can receive.