I was spanked growing up, by my mother and in the presence of an older brother and younger sister, who also received the same treatment when my mother decided it was needed. I hated it but gradually realized it was better than other forms of punishment and did clear the air. When I was in junior high, teachers were not allowed to hit us so some of them, especially some young, strict women teachers, would instead give us failing grades in conduct on our report cards. I remember one of them in particular who seemed to delight in catching us chatting in study hall and would then proceed to enter a failing grade, realizing that it was worse than our being spanked, because, one, it had implications on our record, and two, it often meant a spanking when my mother saw it on my report card. This all had the effect of focusing my mind on punishment of both kinds. |