Survey: Did your parents use corporal punishment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real question: how do you wash a kid's mouth out with soap?

I kind of vaguely remember this threat so it may have been used when I was a kid, but not sure of that....we got spanked occasionally, hand only (and it hurt). Not once we were bigger. I'm in the camp of 'spanking is not necessarily abuse' (though to me, hitting with an object is a different thing and not ok).

You stick a bar of soap in the kid's mouth, scrub it around, and then make him rinse. Not really rocket science -- although, if you're one of those people who have only used liquid soap, I guess I can see the difficulty.

Stick the bottle of dishwashing soap up to the kid's mouth, squirt it in, rinse it around with water, spit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real question: how do you wash a kid's mouth out with soap?

I kind of vaguely remember this threat so it may have been used when I was a kid, but not sure of that....we got spanked occasionally, hand only (and it hurt). Not once we were bigger. I'm in the camp of 'spanking is not necessarily abuse' (though to me, hitting with an object is a different thing and not ok).

You stick a bar of soap in the kid's mouth, scrub it around, and then make him rinse. Not really rocket science -- although, if you're one of those people who have only used liquid soap, I guess I can see the difficulty.

Or lather it up on your hands and then stick your hand in the kid's mouth. I don't imagine many would consider biting since you were probably in enough shit at that point.

I had soap on my hands once (washing) when ds spit at me. I put my hand on his tongue... he remembered not to spit at me after that. It was more a reaction on my part than a plan and I don't think I had ever even threatened him with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mid-40's man here. Grew up in Eastern Europe and then NYC. My mom spanked me a couple of times. Once, when I was 4 or so, my mom told my dad to spank me. He took me in the room, closed the door, put me over his knee, put his hand over my butt and proceded to whip the back of his own hand with his belt (so that it sounded, to my mom, like he was actually hitting me). Then he stood me up, showed me his red hand and said "look how your behavior is hurting your father." I don't specifically remember any other punishment that I ever got but that stuck with me my whole life.

That sounds like the best punishment ever. Seriously. I was spanked to correct behavior when growing up, the most effective punishment was always when I saw how my behavior had hurt my parents. I still remember those times, and I immediately resolved to never do whatever it was, because I was so sad at what I had done.

[Anonymous]

44 grew up in VA. My parents knew positive discipline from reading Ginott's Between Parent and Child and a few other hippy type books. No spankings, cant remember any yelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mid-40's man here. Grew up in Eastern Europe and then NYC. My mom spanked me a couple of times. Once, when I was 4 or so, my mom told my dad to spank me. He took me in the room, closed the door, put me over his knee, put his hand over my butt and proceded to whip the back of his own hand with his belt (so that it sounded, to my mom, like he was actually hitting me). Then he stood me up, showed me his red hand and said "look how your behavior is hurting your father." I don't specifically remember any other punishment that I ever got but that stuck with me my whole life.

Wow.

+1 .. did this ever happen again? Did it make an impression on you as a kid (obviously did as an adult).

No. That was the one and only time that it ever happened. I always remembered it. Thinking about it now, it told me that he wouldn't hurt em, even if it meant that he would get hurt ... and it was up to me to protect him as well. In a way, it was also the first secret that my dad and I had.

[Anonymous]

Mid-30s, female, lived in North Arlington all my life, upper middle class. Attended Jamestown/Williamsburg/ Yorktown. My brother and I both got spanked infrequently, including a swat with a wooden spoon if our mom was REALLY mad. We both also got our mouths washed out with soap once or twice. Thinking back on it, I can't remember any of my friends who DIDN'T get spanked at least occasionally as kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mid-40's man here. Grew up in Eastern Europe and then NYC. My mom spanked me a couple of times. Once, when I was 4 or so, my mom told my dad to spank me. He took me in the room, closed the door, put me over his knee, put his hand over my butt and proceded to whip the back of his own hand with his belt (so that it sounded, to my mom, like he was actually hitting me). Then he stood me up, showed me his red hand and said "look how your behavior is hurting your father." I don't specifically remember any other punishment that I ever got but that stuck with me my whole life.

You have a great dad!

[Anonymous]

Wooden spoon was my parents' choice of corporal punishment but very infrequently, when they were extremely fed up. I can honestly say that I was 'that kid' - behaved well in public but a total brat at home - so I do get it.

We were never grounded, didn't have bedtimes, time outs, etc. 26, Texas. Have a great relationship with my parents but would never use corporal punishment on my own kid.

[Anonymous]

I remember being spanked by my dad once...I'm sure it happened more often. I remember my mom slapping my across the face in high school. she apologized later and said it was wrong. In both cases I was very aware that my parents were out of control. I sympathize with them in a sense..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:44, spanked infrequently and threatened with soap in my mouth but it never happened.

Same here. 49.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mid-30s, female, lived in North Arlington all my life, upper middle class. Attended Jamestown/Williamsburg/ Yorktown. My brother and I both got spanked infrequently, including a swat with a wooden spoon if our mom was REALLY mad. We both also got our mouths washed out with soap once or twice. Thinking back on it, I can't remember any of my friends who DIDN'T get spanked at least occasionally as kids.

I probably know you...Taylor/Williamsburg/Yorktown. mid-30s

[Anonymous]

45, grew up in northern California with college educated parents, my Dad would spank me (rarely) with a wooden brush or coat hanger almost always for staying out past dark or dinner time (riding my bike with other kids and no watch - ah, the 70s)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Real question: how do you wash a kid's mouth out with soap?

I kind of vaguely remember this threat so it may have been used when I was a kid, but not sure of that....we got spanked occasionally, hand only (and it hurt). Not once we were bigger. I'm in the camp of 'spanking is not necessarily abuse' (though to me, hitting with an object is a different thing and not ok).

You stick a bar of soap in the kid's mouth, scrub it around, and then make him rinse. Not really rocket science -- although, if you're one of those people who have only used liquid soap, I guess I can see the difficulty.

Stick the bottle of dishwashing soap up to the kid's mouth, squirt it in, rinse it around with water, spit.

This is sick. And what for? "Foul" language? People are deliberately making their kid ingest chemicals (because not everything will be rinsed out) for using "bad" words? Irresponsible.

[Anonymous]

48, born and raised in NY. Spanked routinely, whipped with a belt, screamed at viciously, etc... by father. No discipline from mother.

Bad scene.

[Anonymous]

I'm 42 and grew up in the Midwest. I was spanked a few times, a couple of times with a paddle. It was reserved for the very bad offenses - I was a very strong-willed kid.

My brother didn't get spanked often because he got so upset when it happened that they decided it wasn't worth spanking him. My sister got her mouth washed out with soap a few times for cursing.

I don't resent my parents for it and I don't think it traumatized me or anything.