Friday, January 25, 2008

Spanking, a kid's view

I don't have a whole lot of memories from when I was very young -- I'm envious of those of you who can remember events from when you were 2 or 3.  But I do have two strong memories, and both were about thinking, trying to understand something.  The first was the idea of "nothingness."  I can very distinctly remember trying to understand nothingness.  "No, not that, that's space.  No, not that, that's sleep."  I think I was about 6 or 7.

The other strong memory I have was about spanking, trying to figure it all out.  I guess I must have been about five.

My thinking was as follows:
  • Grownups say that hitting is wrong.
  • But I really think that spanking is hitting!
  • Mom and Dad say spanking isn't hitting.
  • So, what's the difference between spanking and hitting?
  • Hmm.
  • Hitting can be anywhere, but spanking is on my bottom.
  • Okay.
  • But ... my bottom is one of my privates.  That's what Mom and Dad say.
  • So, spanking is hitting me on one of my privates.
  • And Mom and Dad say they do it because they love me.
I just couldn't make it fit, logically.  It was very confusing.  

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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:36 PM

    ::hugs:: I understand your point of view perfectly... and I remember going through the same two arguments in my head.

    And I never did win on the second one.

    ::hugs::

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  2. Comrade Kevin11:22 AM

    One of the disquieting notions about growing up is understanding the concept of a "rationalization".

    I was spanked more than occasionally by my father and the most sickening sound in the world was the sound of his leather belt being pulled off each belt loop.

    To this day, I am not sure how I would respond if I had children.

    The drama of the gifted child is being aware that adults often advance absolutes to serve their own purposes when realities are seldom so black and white.

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