Kids today don’t know they’re born – I grew up in Ireland during the 1970s, when no mother had any trouble in smacking bottoms when their children misbehaved!
At our house, we had what Mum called the Naughty Box – this was big plastic Tupperware-like container which lived in the wardrobe of my parents’ bedroom. Quite often, it was used as just a threat – the question ‘do we have to take a look in the Naughty Box, Eamon?” would often be enough to stop my misbehaviour in its tracks and cause me to shape up.