I do not hit my kids. It isn't that I don't believe in corporal punishment.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind holding down some of the monsters I have seen at the mall for their parents to beat the living shit out of them.
I just don't have it in me to inflict physical pain on another person. Emotional pain? Sure, I am an expert on that but I simply can't strike another person even if it is for "their own good".
I steer clear of giving an opinion when this debate comes up around me. As a former receptacle for whatever was close that my mother could throw at my head, I find I might be a little biased in this area.
My parents were from the spare the rod, spoil the child generation and they certainly went to the head of that class. We were hit with not only hands but hairbrushes, wooden spoons and whatever else could be hand held and sting like a muther when striking the skin.
As a forty something year old women with kids of my own, I can't help but think how entirely fucked up that was. We weren't particularly bad kids. Yes, we were loud and annoying but we were KIDS. The beatings were not to teach us a lesson but only so they could vent their frustration and anger.
Looking back I can only recall one incident were I remember why I was hit at all. But even that wasn't a lesson but because I was out too late and my mother sent my father out to look for me. The man probably didn't even know I was late but had to leave his comfy chair and miss the latest MASH episode to track down my curfew breaking ass.
I got home and my mother screamed, "GO WAIT OUTSIDE SO YOUR FATHER CAN SEE YOU. HE IS LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU!"
Yeah...I knew I was fucked. I stood on the curb, heart pounding, knowing I was in mighty deep shit and praying for an asteroid to fall from the sky rendering my body unrecognizable. Oh who was I kidding. He would just beat the shit out of the remaining pieces.
As I stood there, I saw headlights and lifted my arm in a friendly little wave with a half smile hoping to defuse the situation.
Since he drove up on the curb and lawn chasing me with the car, it obviously didn't work. He threw the car into park, grabbed my arm and SLAP! right across the face.
Come to think of it, that punishment really did work. I was never late again...
Atleast when I knew he would be home.
10 comments:
I was only ever hit once as a kid and like you I don't remember why other than I suspect we wouldnt stop whatever anoying thing we were doing at the time. Oh well all my scars are self inflicted lol
I was hit as kid. I don't have kids, but I do get the concept of spanking/swatting. When your kid is about to touch the stove or run in the street you can't say "Oh Sweetie. Mommy says no. You can't touch that. Do you want a time out?"
I think my parents used hitting as needed. It was definitely reserved for Major Infractions not for every little thing,and I'm the same way with my daughter. I don't think a swat on the ass ever hurt anyone, but used in excess, like with your parents can certainly have damaging effects later.
I have spanked my nephews and I have scolded them. But it would never cross my mind to inflict physical pain on a child. There is totally a difference between a swat on the ass and a smack across the face.
I was rarely spanked as a child (and never ever grounded) and I was wild as a buck. I have spanked both of my kids on occasion, but nothing over the top.
The Evil Twin was once jerked out of the bathtub and spanked with Hot Wheels track. Niiiice.
I have to agree that spankings are reserved for most serious life threatening infractions. My parents where notorious for beatings, especially my father. Wait til your father comes home was the death sentence. Then again tossing ones of my brother out a window did rate some sort of corporal punishment. The puberty years seem to be the worst. I couldn't stay out of trouble. Even breathing brought on a whooping. I think my dad finally got the message one day when I just laughed at him. It wasn't working anymore. He gave up in frustration. From then on, he just lectured me to death.
I was spanked as a kid, too. I was always warned first to knock off what ever I was doing, giving me the choice to continue on and get spanked or not. Mom could keep a real sweet face in church when she'd lean down and whisper into your ear "keep that up and your going to be VERY sorry when we get out to the car". Fair enough. My sister and I knew that her spankings HURT. Spankings didn't work for my son, but did for my daughter. One warning was all that was needed. We're talking open-hand butt slap here. No faces or objects thrown. That crosses too many lines.
I do wish they still had corp. punishment in schools though. The fear of that seemed to keep everyone in line better. Now the line is at the councilors office...
...i was only spanked once when i was little, for coloring on the wallpaper...& if i had to bet, i'd bet Mom gave Dad hell for that...yup...spoiled...
My dad was very violent with my mother as we were growing up, and he also hit my siblings. Never me, though - I was the baby. I did get a major swat on the butt once, on Christmas Day one year. I said I was bored, and had nothing to play with...I was a spoiled brat, I admit it.
Post a Comment