Back In My Day

Sad, huh? :-(

I know, a back in my day comparison, but still important. It came about because too many parents used their kids as punching bags. I set a standard with my children: they got three swats on the bottom if they needed it. Usually, I was able to do it by lectures. Funny, they preferred the swat on the bottom over the lectures.

It was done right. There was zero emotion in the principal's voice when he hit me and when he turned me around, he asked very calmly if I ever wanted him to do it again. I replied no sir and he again without any hint of emotion told me I was free to go.

That's the way to do it. I never screwed up in school again until my junior year. That is a story for another time.

Met many of times with the "board of education" in school. That's how I developed my own rules for discipline. My kids knew why I was disciplining them. I caught my one daughter punishing her daughter just like her mom used to punish her. I went ballistic. I told her, no matter what, don't lash out, I don't care how mad you are. I think I made some headway.