Red Bottom Club

The childish games we play in our youth sometimes have a very adult dynamic beneath them, as Fiona found out when she and a … more

Intentions of being a progressive parent are one thing, but the reality of disciplining children in the real world can o… more

The birch was once a very commonplace instrument of corporal correction for the world’s children which fell out … more

When I was in year three of primary school (i.e. eight years old) in 1960s Manchester, I had a particularly bad day in clas… more

When I was a month or two short of 15, I started going out with Emma [named changed – Ed] who was about two years young… more

Quite a number of our correspondents have experiences of spankings by proxy when their own parents have been indispose… more

Back in the ‘good old days’, when the teacher’s authority was unquestioned, the way in which they r… more

Sometimes, the effects of spanking their children can be confusing and worrying for parents, as Mike readily amids in t… more

Often, grown-ups talking about spanking is more embarrassing for children than actually receiving it. Daniel rememb… more

When I was 10 and my brother David was seven, my parents took on a local neighbourhood girl called Linda to babysit us occa… more

I first met Rosie in reception class at school and we stayed best friends throughout our school years, although we lost t… more

In this audio version of a popular Maman story, Marcus recalls the first time his mother required him to bend over to rece… more

I didn’t see a whole lot of Aunt Kate, my dad’s sister, during my childhood, as she and my uncle lived a whole … more

It was a chilly day in early autumn, and my dad was clearing away a huge quantity of leaves which had dropped on our garden f… more

Editor’s Note: Back in the days of the original Maman, I wrote a story about two girls sharing a flat. While this wa… more

One of the more notable things about my childhood was that my best friend Mark and I shared the same surname. It wasn̵… more

“Sincerity gives wings to power.”

From the Foreword to this, the Concluding Word, the author, by narrating her experie… more

Phyllis is a mother-of-two and grandmother of five from Des Moines, Iowa. At the time of the interview, her grandchildr… more

TO THE MARRIAGEABLE GIRL

“Children are what the mothers are.”… more

THE GOVERNESS

“A faithful governess plays the role of a true mother.”… more

I suspect that like a lot of parents in the 1990s, I did my utmost to avoid direct confrontation with my daughter, let alon… more

In spite of her extreme strictness and intolerance in most other matters, one thing that mum never smacked us for was bed… more

I guess there aren’t many kids these days who live in fear of getting their bottom walloped when report day rolls a… more

THE OLDER CHILD

“Uproot not the neglected flower; rather, care for it more diligently.” … more

A child who has just been spanked by mother will nevertheless instinctively seek comfort in her arms once the chastisem… more

DIFFICULTIES AND OBJECTIONS

“Difficulties give way to diligence. Objections are often traceable to ignorance of fac… more

When I was a child, my mum was good friends with a lady called Mrs Leese – I think they had worked together before they both l… more

David recalls how his mother’s younger sister came to stay to look after the family during an illness – and how it r… more

PERSISTENCY IN SPITE OF AUTHORATATIVE DECISION. Perseverance and determination are very desirable qualities in the … more

Probably somewhat unusually by the 90s, Mary and I were sometimes smacked by several family members in addition to Mum a… more

In spite of him usually being far more patient and good-natured than Mum, there was one area where our father’s to… more

From around the age of seven to around 12 years old, I had the same girl babysit me when my parents needed to go out and leave … more

HOLDING BREATH. A baby, or even a child several years of age, may, through temper, hold the breath. I strongly advise spa… more

In this interview from some years ago, we chatted to Australian mum Cindy about her use of the cane on the bottoms of her tw… more

TELLING OF UNTRUTHS. Making the child truthful is one of  the hardest tasks of child training. Perhaps in no period of t… more

Martin, the father of two young boys, talks about his use of the slipper and how, as head of the household, he takes respon… more