How 'Bout a Knockout?

It was a thing of beauty. It happened in my store, but honestly, it could have been anywhere and I would be just as happy.

Sir Isaac Newton stated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Today was proof.


I realize that parenting in this day is getting pretty scary. I mean, if you lecture your child, you get sued for abuse. You spank your child, it's abuse. You deny them the candy bar, it's abuse for mental cruelty.

To discipline a child these days, the accepted norm is the "Time Out".

This may work for some, but I can't imagine how. Let's make you sit in a corner for two minutes and think about it. What is this? The penalty box in a hockey game?

I grew up knowing there were consequences to my actions. My mother was in the Marines. My father was in the Marine Reserves. Three of my uncles were also in the service (two army, one Coast Guard). My grandfather was in the Army. If I screwed up, I KNEW I was gonna get it, and how!

I wasn't a perfect child by any means, but it only took my mother and father a couple of times to get the message across not to screw up. After two trips to the garage to talk with his belt or Mom's backhand, I got the hint. After that, it was Mom snapping her fingers or him reaching for the buckle, and I straightened up fast.

I think I turned out all right. At least, no worse off than the rest of the world, and I certainly don't blame my parents for trying to get me to grow up decently.

I wish more people were like that.

I am not saying abuse the child, but there is nothing wrong in my mind with spanking a child, done properly.

I like to paraphrase Bill Engvall on how we really should react, though his statement is a bit extreme. "Not a time out, Ma'am. How about a KNOCK OUT! SPANK THAT BRAT!"



Today in my store, a family came in, and one child was being rude to his mother and aggravating his siblings. His father said if he didn't pay, there would be hell to pay (not his words, but a close approximation!). The boy continued to misbehave. His mother just looked at him, and said sternly, "If you don't straighten up, I will spank you, and I don't care who sees!"

Naturally, this child thought he could get away with it. He didn't consider that his mother meant every word she said. (To be honest, I didn't think she would do it either!)

Two minutes later, I look up to see her take the child, hold one arm, reach around and swat him good on the backside. (The boy was about 10 years old, which makes me think he understood why it was going on, and that his actions were the cause!) He immediately stopped screaming, sat down and shut up. He was the instant model citizen.

Amazing.

It was all I could do to not stand up and cheer.

It was such a beautiful thing to see a parent actually discipline a child who was unruly.


Thank you so much for taking action, lady!