Super Susie Saturday - Number 6

52 Random Things About Me

Number - 6.

OK so this may or may not offend those few followers out in the world that I have but this is my little soap box and my little random dilly dally so here it is...

I DO NOT believe in Spanking Children.



Anyone that knows me and the Hubs know that we are quite, how should I put it, Gentle in the child rearing field. We are those crazy parents who believe communicating with our children and allowing them to use their voice is the way to properly discipline them.

Now this I know is such a hot topic subject and I am here to say that I do not judge those who chose to spank. I have friends who chose to use that approach and I love them completely without judgement...

OK, now here goes my soapbox portion of this post...

I remember (like the rest of us born before 1980 or so) getting spanked for numerous things (now don't judge my parents harshly. Every kid on my block got spanked with the exception of the hippie lady's kids at the end of our street. Her kids also didn't where underwear and frequently flashed us unknowingly, and I would often find them completely home alone.)



I'm getting distracted...oh yeah...when I was spanked as a child all it did was make me soooo ANGRY in side. I always sulked away, crying feeling not only embarrassed and humiliated but so very ANGRY. (Is that the point?) Conversation and Communication were hard for me as a child so often I was never one to stick up for myself or explain my way out of situations. That said, I sometimes got spankings even when I didn't deserve it. Now, their were many times when I'm sure I really did deserve it but alas spanking kids still makes very little sense to me as I recall that my over riding humiliation and anger always overshadowed my learning "the lesson".
Again, I want to say that my parents were good parents doing the best they knew how. They loved us, fed and clothed us, took us on great trips and we had more than our fair share of good times but the spanking thing...That's how most kids were disciplined back then I suppose..and yes, we survived. That said....

When we became pregnant with our first I remember Matt and I having a couple of deep conversations about how to discipline and the whole spanking thing. Thank goodness he felt the same as his large and hormonal honey. No hitting kids for us. (of course for those of you who know him this is NO surprise whatsoever. He is definitely a gentle giant.)

When I think of Spanking 3 major things come in my mind.

First- The above feelings I had as a child and how I don't want to make my girls so angry that they forget how to communicate with us. Or shut down all together.

Second- The word "Spanking" I know probably has some sort of deeper meaning, probably from biblical times, who knows, I should google it. But in these times I really do think that we should just call it what it is.."Hitting." Straight up.

Third- And the most common thing you all hear from anti-spankers...and that is that we teach our children to be non-violent from the time they are little. At playgroups across the country, the familiar ring of "No hitting, No hitting" rolls off the tongue of many a Mommy and Daddy and then like hypocrites we smack our kids? It confuses me. Or worse, we bite them when they bite us and so on. I guess it just doesn't make sense to me.

We are attempting to teach our kids to communicate, taking responsibility for their actions and so on, without taking such a heavy hand. We'll see in how it goes.

Now don't get me wrong their have been a couple of instances where Little Red has worked my last possible nerve and I have been thrown to the edge, but something in my being does not allow me to be hit my child, Thankfully. Quite frankly, Livi goes into a terrified frenzy with a stern talking to and a time out in her room. It doesn't take much with her. I venture to guess Abs will be different. ;)

OK, so a heavy random but something about me that you may have not known and may possibly judge me for, but that's OK. I stand by my anti-hitting children ways whole heartedly.

Feel free to comment even if you disagree. I don't mind. We are all different. It's what makes the world go round.

I swear I am getting these Randoms in by the skin of my teeth every week. So far...I am still on time. Whew.

P.S. We were in Phoenix this last week, hence no posts. More on that later. And just so you all know... I LOVE Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza and Chicken Shu Mai...One more little randomness for ya.