I am a spanking mom. I don’t spank often – it is a last resort. I think other forms of discipline can be very effective, such as making them write lines, for example: “I must listen to my mom and do as I am told.” I will also sometimes make them forfeit their allowance or deny them privileges, such as candy or their favourite TV shows.
However, there are some things which merit a more severe punishment. These include lying, wilful defiance, swearing, blasphemy, poor behaviour in school or bad grades due to lack of effort. All of these require a more severe sanction, in my humble opinion – namely, a sound spanking.
The buttocks, with their copious nerve endings and pain receptors, are an ideal target for a parent who desires to inflict corporal punishment upon their errant child. Indeed, they are the only part of the human body where it is safe to do so, given they comprise the gluteal muscles with a lot of fleshy padding. This allows them to be struck repeatedly without risking permanent injury.
The practice of spanking seems to be universal throughout history, and is thought to date back to ancient Sumeria, Egypt and Rome. It is only fairly recently that stigma has become attached to the practice – although I maintain that most of the criticisms are spurious.
I don’t shout at my kids and I will try to reason with them when appropriate – but ultimately, I am their mother and I will be obeyed. Failure to live up to my expectations will result in punishment. I rarely have to warn my kids more than once, as they know what awaits them if they fail to heed my warnings.
As I have already stated, I don’t spank often. However, when I do, I make it count. I only use my hand, but when applied to the bare posterior 20 or 30 times, the cumulative result is a very red bottom and a very sorry child.
My husband thinks me callous, and doesn’t like seeing me spank, despite the fact I only use my hand. Of course, I am the first to admit that when slapping an already red and tender bottom, causing no small amount of pain, the little miscreant’s reaction is pitiful. However, the spanking is perfectly safe and no lasting harm is done.
Recently, in view of my husband’s objections to spanking, a moratorium on corporal punishment came into effect at our house. It lasted around three months. The boys’ behaviour gradually grew worse and worse, until one Saturday morning – after a near riot at the breakfast table – my husband turned to me and said: “Do what you have to do – just wait until I go out for my morning stroll!”
As soon as he had left, I spanked the children. The adage that “it hurts me more than them” is patently false. I take pride in my work, and made up for lost time. Starting with the youngest, aged five, each one went across my knee and got their bare bottoms soundly tanned. Tears, screaming, wriggling and begging me to stop had no effect whatsoever – but their subsequent behaviour improved drastically.
Contributor: Sophie