I raised a brother and a sister who came into my life as toddlers. I hadn't had a very good life before God sent them to me. One afternoon my neighbor came to walk his two little girls home, just across the street, after a sleepover at my house playing with my children.
My daughter, who was about four at the time, pleaded with me to let her walk the girls home with their daddy. I told her no and we kissed and hugged everyone goodbye. I proceeded to cook dinner.
After about two minutes, I had a funny feeling and walked to the porch to see my sweet little girl with her pink bicycle doing circles in the middle of the street. It was a cul-de-sac and not much traffic, but we had a line drawn with black spray paint across the end of our driveway as a boundary for the kids NOT TO CROSS. She and her brother (and any children at my house) were told the consequences for crossing the line.
When I went on the porch and yelled for her, she came riding back and I knew by the look on her face she knew she was in trouble. I took her by the little hand and asked what she was doing. I asked if she crossed the line in the driveway. She said yes and she told me what was going to happen.
We both cried. I busted her a@@ with my hand while she laid across my lap. I cried some more, hugged her and told her she had to mind or something worse than a spanking could have happened. I never had a reason to paddle her bottom after that one time.
Now her brother...oh my goodness. The first time I paddled his bottom, he looked at me with tears welled up in his eyes, not a tear fell mind you, just puddled lakes in his hazel eyes. He said, "You can't hurt me. My mommy used to try to hurt me and she couldn't hurt me."
I told him I didn't want to hurt him, I loved him and I just wanted him to mind what I was telling him to do. It broke my heart and I soon learned that the worst punishment I could give him was when I cried. It melted his heart and he would obey anything I asked of him...well for a little while. Boys will be boys.
By the Grace of God, and a few more swats on my son's bottom, they are both beautiful, productive and very happy members of society.
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