Tuesday, January 20, 2009

I Think He's On to Me....

Yesterday, as I was transferring one load of laundry from the washer to the dryer, I noticed all of our hangers were missing.

I called for my sweet husband to bring in an armload of hangers, please.

He kindly obliged and shuffled into the laundry room a minute later.

After placing the hangers on the rack, I asked him if he could help hang up the clean clothes.

"Oh," he said, "it was a trap."

hahaha

___________________________

Today went by SO quickly, even the kids were surprised. It, by no means, was a good day, it just was a bad day that went by quickly.

I found out that the paddle is still used as a form of punishment in some school districts. I was SHOCKED when I found out. Well, first of all, I thought the child was kidding/lying. Then I thought, "oh my gosh! some administrator is beating the kids without anyone knowing!"

Then, I ran into that administrator and she told me that she gave said student 3 licks and asked me how he was doing.

SHOCKED I tell you.

So I have given alot of thought to this today, and I think I have decided I am definitely NOT okay with corporal punishment in the school system. I think it is something that should be a private family choice and that should not be given by anyone other than the parents. I'm even against grandparents and aunts/uncles doing it. I just think that if, like people say, it is a tool meant to teach children there are painful consequences for their actions, then by having so many people 'whooping' them into submission will send the wrong message.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for spanking. Spanking your own children. Even in my years upon years of babysitting/nannying I never took that discipline system onto myself. Some of you are probably thinking "Good, I wouldn't want my babysitter spanking my kids!" Well, I was with most of my families so long, some of them had given me express permission to spank when absolutely necessary, (probably because they knew I wasn't just going to beat their kids silly, and I was trusted.)

I actually did once. To a child that I had been given permission to. And although I felt that the kid learned the lesson, I just didn't feel like it was my place to do it. So I never have again.

I have no doubt that Ian and I will use it one day down the road, but only because both of our parents were such excellent models of it.
1. They did not do it out of anger.
2. They explained what we did wrong.
3. They gave a chance for apology afterwards (which is super important, I think)
4. To my knowledge, they were the only ones who ever did spanking(although it's very possible I could have been spanked once or twice by other family members for my sas.) I respected them for it, but I really think I would have been fearful of anyone else who "had the power" to physically harm me whenever possible.

So, what do you think on this issue?

1 comment:

Kari said...

I can't believe it's still allowed in schools!! wow! who would have thought!?
I def. agree with you on this issue, I think you stated it very well.
It was good to hear from you Brittany, it's nice to be able to keep up with you! Enjoy reading your blog!!