PROPER METHOD—THE MANNER
The greatest care and attention to even every least detail should be the attitude of the mother or governess with regard to the manner of spanking the child. Assuming that the mother or governess has temper under control, fully conscious of the seriousness and importance of the duty before her, she should lead the child over to the spanking seat, or, if she prefer, seat herself and call the child to her; if the child be of sufficient age to comprehend, explain to him the cause and necessity of the punishment. (Dear Reader, please compare this with the usual angry display of temper with its accompanying loud scolding or calling of names.) She should expose entirely the little buttock, then turn the child across the knee, his head and arms resting on the other part of the seat. She should remember that the little buttock should be in a slanting position, thus giving the best advantage to the one who is spanking and also eliminating danger of the slaps being on the spine or over the kidneys. Then, with one hand placed on the buck of the child, just below the shoulders, and holding the child firmly, she should spank thus: Slap each side of the buttock, not with the wrist movement, but with the full arm movement. The hand not to be held in a sort of rigid manner, or the slap given by little more than the fingers. The hand should be at each slap quite flexible and its full breadth applied. After sufficient number of slaps have been given on one side she should give the same number, on the other. When I wish to give a rather “severe” spanking, I spank each side twice, even three times before ceasing. If the baby be quite young, both sides may be spanked at the same time. The one punishing should not allow squirming, crying, or screaming to influence her towards leniency. Before the child goes across her knee she should de- termine the “severity” of the shanking and there should be no deviation from the determination.