Mommy Manual

Spank you very much…

I don’t like to spank my kids. It breaks my heart to see them cry or be upset and it’s worse when I’m the cause of it. At the same time, I’m only 5 feet tall ya’ll. My daughter was taller than me at the age of like 8 and my lil’ guy isn’t that far off from passing me either. There is only so much I can say to induce compliance at a certain point-hell what if one of them try to get tough and throw a punch because they don’t like that I took away the DSi? I need to instill the fear in ‘em early. Not like the fear of Jesus because he can’t knock them out right away, I can so they need to fear me. In fearing me, more importantly, they also need to fear disappointing me more than any physical punishment I can ever inflict. And that second part, is the hardest to instill whether you spank your kids or not.

I do not negotiate with terrorist! That’s what I think kids are. They often can’t see anything outside their own desire and will do whatever they can think of to get it. Scream, cry, throw a fit, lie, protest, manipulate-doesn’t that sound like a terrorists to ya’ll?

Also kids need to understand that their actions have a direct reflection on their parents-good, bad or otherwise-so we are responsible for trying to get them on the right track. Their adolescence is our responsibility-they are renting their freedom until it’s earned with responsibility and common sense and maturity or until age 18. Sometimes one comes before the other and hell, sometimes the first one doesn’t come at all. So I feel like if I am responsible for having to purchase the tissue you use to wipe your tail then I have the right to spank your tail when you don’t get your tail in line and make the right choices.

I do talk to my kids and make sure they have an understanding of why they are in trouble. Every punishment doesn’t warrant a spanking-quite often it’s not needed at all because it’s not that serious. But I do keep that fear looming so that in their minds they know if I do bad thing A then B could happen (B being beat down). Like I said, most often they can reason and I only need to take away the precious (electronics and tv) but I am no afraid to adapt and change with the situation and child.

That’s the biggest component to spanking-adapting it to the child and the situation. No need, I believe, to beat your kids to the point of bloodshed. That’s doing too much. You grow with your kid and you learn how to handle different situations so that your kids can grow to be wonderful people who say, spank you very much for the love and discipline.

How do you feel on the debate-to spank or not to spank?