Did you know, it is unlawful in some states to lay your hands on a child by whipping them with a belt or smacking them on the behind in order to discipline them for a wrongdoing? When I was growing up it was not uncommon to receive discipline in the form of using a ‘Willow Switch’ or getting a good whipping with a belt or razor strop.

Many days my younger brothers and I would do something wrong and mother would say, “Just wait until your father gets home! We knew we were in for a good switching from our father when he arrived home from a long day working in the coal mine. We also knew we could do or say nothing to make our father forget his responsibility to correct us. We would line up in the back yard and wait for father to come walking down the railroad tracks. If father had a bad day, the whipping was much more severe or if he was extra tired the whipping would be short and sweet. Although we deserved the whippings we never complained because we knew we needed the discipline.

Children need to know not only the family rules but also the penalties for breaking those rules. Once the rules and penalties were discussed and understood the rules needed to be enforced. Parents are not being kind if they constantly warn the children about a deserved punishment and fail to carry it out. While parents may hold off on disciplining a child while in a public place and administering the whipping in private later on the child still has to know why they are being punished. I always knew why I was getting the whipping for because Father would say, “And if you don’t learn, you will get the same thing tomorrow.” I for one am glad I received punishment for breaking the rules; this is the way I learned not to do the things that were bad. If it had not been for the correction in the form of a whipping from time to time, I would not have turned out like I did.

If you love your child, you will look for them with correction in mind otherwise they may grow up thinking they can do whatever they wish without any punishment for their wrongdoings. The jails and prison systems are full of both men and women who have this attitude. Of course in these more modern times, the authorities frown on whippings and using the belt on the bottom to correct a child and the parents may end up as the ones being jailed. Other forms of punishments such as taking away privileges like television or some other form of entertainment usually dose the trick to get the attention of a child. Please do not abuse your children but make sure they know your family rules and they should be rewarded from time to time when they do. They will grow up having a deep respect for you.