My twin sister and I were born in the mid 1950s, a time when a smacked bottom at home for either of us and corporal punishment in school was not considered to be out of the ordinary – in fact to the contrary – and certainly not frowned on as it would sadly appear to be so nowadays.
Both Gillian and I were no strangers to being put across either of our parent’s laps for a soundly smacked bare behind for any misbehaviour where such a sanction was deemed the appropriate punishment. However, due to my father’s occupation and him being away from home for regular, albeit short periods, this task was primarily undertaken by our mother.