You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me

Things have been going very nicely during our campaign to curb the spanking. Yes, there are occasions when a spanking is necessary, in my opinion. On the whole, however, spanking is not an effective form of discipline when used on a daily basis. At least, not in our home. So we have resorted to using other methods, such as sitting in the naughty corner, removal of privileges and assigning extra chores. So far, it has worked well in achieving our goal of improved behavior.

Yesterday, I received a call from a woman who is doing a thesis paper on childhood discipline. I obliged her request to participate in answering questions, since it would greatly help her. Then she asked if I would be willing to do an experiment. The experiment involved using spanking as the primary form of discipline. She wanted me to have the kids go into the bedroom and pull their own pants down to receive the spanking. I was totally appalled at her request to back pedal on our efforts. Did she not watch our Supernanny episode? Did she not hear me say how well our new methods were working? Surely, any sane parent (she’s a mother of four,) would know how detrimental it is to parenting when the parents are not consistent! Yet, she urged me to try the experiment anyway. I told her that I did not think it was a good idea, but that I would talk to my husband about it. Then I hung up and decided not to answer any more of her calls. If she wants a spanking experiment done, she can damn well do it on her own kids, because I’m not participating in something so barbaric sounding. I’m now wondering if that lady was a legitimate student or just another psychopath, intent on making our lives a little weirder. Oh…and I’m changing our phone number.