Tale from the Stepmother.

[Mamadrae]

For all our difference my stepmother was not a woman to take crap from anyone.
I was telling her about the site and some of the stories of rampaging children with spineless parents. She had one to share.

Just before we all moved in with her and my stepbrother you had an upswing of all that "OMG! Spanking is evil!" and such. Which of course my stepbrother heard about.

So SB (stepbrother) and SM (stepmother) are at the store and he is just acting up and acting up and acting up and finally in the check out line...

SM: If you don't stop it SB I'm gonna spank you but good.
SB: You can't spank me, it's illegal. That's child abuse.
SM: Only if I leave a mark and I don't.
SB: *looks at the cashier* Child abuse! Child abuse!
Cahsier: *give a death glare* How about I take you home and I'LL show you child abuse...

SB never attempted that stunt again and behaved for the rest of the shopping trip.

[lupo pazzesco]

I love it! That's essentially how my mom was. Now, mind you, I'm the first to say I'm an Italian American Scorpio Princess. It actually all came from my mom, who would tell me if I don't stop acting like a spoiled Italian American Princess, she'd make it so I'd never be able to sit on my throne again.

The few times she ever made good on the promise are quite memorable, and you bet I never misbehaved like that again. I like to think that I turned out pretty well.

[jedimaster91]

My mom had a 2x4 with the end shaped in such a way that it made a very nice handle. She kept it on top of the refrigerator. The siblings and I only got swatted with it once or twice before we quit misbehaving real fast if Mom even appeared to be headed for the kitchen.

[Bright_Star]

When I was a kid & I acted up & needed to get my ass beat, my mom used whatever was handy. It could be a hairbrush or a ping pong paddle. OR in the summertime she'd get a switch off the tree & use that. The switch off the tree hurts like the devil...lol.
Now if you try that on a kid it's considered child abuse but back in the day it was considered effective punishment.

[McGoddess09]

Ah. The belt and belt buckle. *shudder* To this day,I will not disrespect my dad,even though he is really laidback and I'm a heck of alot taller than he is.

[Bandit]

Ah. The belt and belt buckle. *shudder* To this day,I will not disrespect my dad,even though he is really laidback and I'm a heck of alot taller than he is.

You and be both.

B

[Kogarashi]

Dad would snap the belt (fold it over, hold each end, push hands together and then pull apart real quick--makes a nice, loud *SNAP!*), but he'd never actually use anything other than his hand. One good swat and our bums hurt enough to remember, so he never had to do more than one swat, either. I like to think I turned out all right as well.

My, how times change.

[Mamadrae]

You and be both.

B

That's what we got from my dad. We feared that more then my stepmom's 2X4 with "Attitude Adjuster" written on it.
The paddle broke, the belt never did.

[RetailWorkhorse]

I know, just KNOW, this is going to make me sound like a complete and total Masochist but...

...am I the only one who burst out laughing in the middle of one of the worst spankings I ever got?

According to Mom, that was hysteria, but for some reason I found it hilariously funny (and, oh gods, I had done something bad, but I can't remember what).

[Evil Queen]

I remember every now and again I'd cry so hard I'd burst out laughing.

Kids need to be spanked I guess. I dunno, I sure as hell got it often enough.

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

No wonder spanking isn't considered kinky anymore.

[flybye023]

We had this paddle that my great-grandma gave us that read "For the cute little deer with the bear behind" and it had a picture of a fawn and little black bear cub.

We never actually got spanked with it--my mom's favorite was the good ole' wooden spoon whereas my dad used the belt though he never used the buckle end on us.

[SilverOrb]

My family was never much for spankings... My Grandmother had "the corner"... You faced the wall and didn't move for a good bit. My Grandfather yelled. Booooooooooooy did he yell.

I think the spankings would have been preferable, lol

[GingerBiscuit]

I was almost never spanked, and certainly never with violence. You don't need to do it every time a child misbehaves for it to be effective- I think I was smacked three times, always when I had been so abominable there was nothing else for it.

I was threatened with it a lot though, and I KNEW they would so I behaved.

I used to be put on the bottom step a lot, and told that I couldn't come off until I would behave. Or, when I was older, they'd be disappointed in me.

Oh god, the fear of my mothers look of disappointment haunts me still.

[Javarod]

I was almost never spanked, and certainly never with violence. You don't need to do it every time a child misbehaves for it to be effective- I think I was smacked three times, always when I had been so abominable there was nothing else for it.

I was threatened with it a lot though, and I KNEW they would so I behaved.

Exactly, that's the point, negative reinforcement works well when applied properly, doesn't matter ifn its a person or an animal, you know when you do bad, bad things happen, its an instinct thing.

I must say, i can't help but think of Bill Cosby and THE BELT- It was eight feet long and it had hooks on it, and it would tear the meat from your body if it ever hit you. (i think that's right, doing it from memory, and its been years since i've heard it).