Discipline was
always difficult in our chaotic household. Maybe difficult isn’t
the right word. Challenging might be a better description.
Time-out was always
my first go-to. Depending on their age, there were times when it
worked, and times when it failed miserably. My 3rd son
sat in time out for 4 hours one time because he refused to say the
word “Please.” He wasn’t getting up until he said it though
(and proved his Irish stubbornness at 3 years old). He even took a
nap in time out. His oldest brother, kneeling on the top stair going
down to the basement pleaded with him. “Just say please, PLEASE?”
I finally heard “Peez” and told him he could get up and go play.
I’d had many more years to cultivate my Irish stubbornness than he
had, Mama don’t play chicken, so it was all in, or nothing. I won
that one. I didn’t always.
Next was time-out
on your knees with your nose against the wall and your hands behind
your back. That one didn’t last long. Once they learned to lick
the wall and drive me out of my mind I just –had- to give that up.
A clean spot on the wall meant I had to wash ALL of it. It simply
wasn’t worth it. I lost that one.
No-screen
restriction was one of my favorites for a while. No-screen meant NO
SCREENS. That meant TV, computer, Game Boy, phones.. anything with a
screen on it was off limits. I caught a couple of them cheating.
That’s when I learned to turn the breaker off to their rooms. If
you were on no-screen restriction, you pretty much had to stay in
your room. I wouldn’t punish the rest of the crew for one’s
misbehavior. That meant the basement was off limits (TV down there),
the living room was off limits (TV in there), so you were pretty much
stuck in your room. I would offer books though. Win for Mama!
Last resort was the
paddle. It had a name: “The Equalizer.” The Equalizer was
originally a small sized cutting board, but it warped. It just had a
small curve to it, enough to make it worthless for cutting on, but
the curve was perfect for a little butt. Two inches could leave a
butt cherry red, and they were always told if they’d get one pop,
two or three. I never spanked in anger, but I did spank when they
earned and deserved it.
The Equalizer lived
behind the microwave. It really didn’t have to come out often. I
just pulled it out and set it on the kitchen counter. When it –did-
come out, kids and pets alike straightened up. Yes, the dogs’ knew
it, too. If Mama got that far EVERYONE better pay attention.
Now that my
children are grown, the Equalizer has been retired. Sure I’ll
share a couple more stories about ‘er, but I wish I had it back.
Now that my children are grown, and I hear the truth behind more of
their stories, they earned more pops than I ever gave them.
I can’t ground
them anymore, but wish they’d ground me – to my room, with a
book.
Bess
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