I still remember my father lining up six kids from oldest to the youngest where some crime had been committed and the truth had not been revealed. He held his belt in two hands, folded over, and he snapped it as he walked up and down our line demanding the truth or else. We stood there quivering and some with tears in his or her eyes while we waited for the dirty-deed-doer to confess. The tension he created was much worse than the actual belt touching the edge of our pj’s or nightgowns as my father would let it loose like a whip to hit at our calves. Much worse than a spanking was my father’s deep disapproval and coldness. I would have traded for a spanking any day than to face his intentional silence.
I had my share of spankings (well deserved), and I definitely support the practice. Take me to any place a group of children are interacting, and I can point out which ones AREN’T spanked by their bad behavior. Their treatment of other children and even their parents exposes the lies in this piece.
Goodness, were you and I in the same family?
Exactly the same experience (but with five kids, not six).