Where do you stand on smacking?

My last post got me thinking about the whole punishment thing, especially now I see my own children trying to bring up theirs.

First, I'll come clean. I did smack mine, when I felt they deserved it. I don't necessarily think this is ideal, but it worked. When mother and child have reached a certain stage, sometimes a smack breaks the tension, tells the child exactly where they stand, and the whole thing is over. I'm not talking beating about the head, or adminstering the belt. Just a smack on the bottom. I would never, ever smack anyone else'se child, because I think that a smack is the other side of the warm, affectionate physical relationship a parent has with his/her children. After all, some animals (the cat family, for example) smack their offsping!

Those who are  anti-smacking say that violence breeds violence, but I simply don't agree. My children are four of the nicest, kindest, least violent people I know. They are my best friends, and I hope I am theirs. But they were smacked. Not often, but occasionally. I did try the "no sweets" thing (sweets day was Friday), but by the time Friday came, everyone had forgotten what the punishment was for. As for the naughty step, that hadn't been invented, and my youngest would never have stayed there. I didn't have the time that Supernanny (well-rested after a good night's sleep) has for putting a child in his "time out" place 22 times until he stays there, or  making colourful graphs and charts. I had a job, and besides the children,  a busy husband and an elderly father to look after.

I admire people who manage to discpline thier kids without smacking. That's great. But I think smacking, carried out in extremis, is OK, and I don't regret doing it. What do you think?

On feeling foolish outside Tesco

So there I was, outside Tesco, and there was a large toddler lying on the pavement, refusing to get up. The parents had done the "no sweets" thing, and had progressed to "no Christmas presents". The big guns were out.

So I - Mrs.. Busybody, experienced (ha!) motherer of four, grandmother of seven bla blah - step forward with a helpful smile.

Me (to child): Can't you stand up? Oh dear! How sad! I can't believe you don't know how to stand up. A big boy like you!

The toddler lay comfortably on the pavement, a knowing look in his eyes. The parents looked on unsmilingly.

Me (getting desperate): I  bet you can't stand on one leg. Look! Like this! Can you do this? I bet you can't!

The toddler regarded me pityingly, and remained firmly where he was. The parents looked on. Passers-by saw a child lying on the pavement, parents standing by, and a woman of a certain age trying valiantly to  balance on one leg.

 How to get out of this with even a shred of dignity?

I didn't. As for the child, for all I know, he's still lying outside Tesco.

I'm a celebrity. Not.

So Nadine Dorries MP is leaving her parliamentary duties to eat kangaroo testicles and other delicacies in the jungle with Ant and Dec and a few other people nobody's heard of. Is there any other job where one can just take off for a month, and still expect to be paid?

This dire programme (I did see one snippet. Once. And that was enough) should be renamed "I'm not a celebrity, but I want to be. Please let me in!" Anyone who's prepared to eat grubs among strangers and be thoroughly humiliated on TV for that length of time, never mind risk sacrificing a well- paid career in the process, needs their head examined.

Tst ts. What is the world coming to?

PS does this kind of thing help sell novels? I just thought I'd ask....

Downton Abbey (again)

I know I've said this before, but are we the only people who think this series is utter b*****ks? Yes, we do watch it. But with a mixture of mirth and wonderment.

The plot. This is weird and yet predictable. Example: when the vengeful lady's maid places soap on the bathroom floor, you KNOW that her ladyship will slip, that she will lose her baby, and that said baby will be the longed for heir. In the last episode, my lord is far more concerned with the them-against-us cricket match than the recent loss of his daughter. One of the servants turns out to be an amazing pianist. Matthew leaps unscathed from his wheelchair. I could go on and on...

Acting. Wooden. (Odd, that, as I've seen some of them being good in other productions.) But not Maggie Smith, of course, because she is always wonderful.

Script. Clunky.

Characters. Unsympathetic. We've decided we don't really care about any of them. And we've tried, really we have. Upstairs find themselves falling out over every trivial thing, while those downstairs seem to spend all their time standing around chatting.

Anachronisms. Where to start? "Don't be such a girls' blouse". This originated in the 1960s. Cook calls some one "Mr. Stick-it-up- your-jumper". This expression is thought to originate in the 1930s, but was made popular by Tony Hancock in the 50s. "Learning curve" - not certain about this one, but I'm pretty sure it came much later. There are lots of these, and they really jar. How DO they get past all the editing?

That's all. Rant over. But please tell me what the appeal is (beautiful set, vintage cars and costumes apart). Or if (faint hope) by any chance you agree...?

And yet we go on watching, just to see whether the emperor is wearing (very subtle) clothes, after all.

Magpie 142

HAPPINESS

They've taken my "Hungry and Homeless" sign.
I've nothing much left that I can call mine.
I've lost all my friends, and I've left all my roots -
But I have got a pair of designer boots!


(With thanks to Tess at Magpie Tales for the picture)

One last silly present

                    Inflatable zimmer frame (quote from catalogue)

 

"Picture the scene – a dignified 50th birthday party. The wine is poured, the nibbles are out, there’s an oldies CD playing in the background and several people have rattled off boring toasts. The atmosphere is getting a little dull when, with a mischievous grin, you hand over your gift, an unassuming, beautifully wrapped, box. Just imagine the roar of laughter that will follow it when they open up the gift. Fun will be had, the Zimmer will be passed around and you’ll be spotting photos of party guests with it all over Facebook in no time!"

How can you resist?  But don't forget the mischievous grin, the beautifully wrapped box, and the crowd of party-goers just dying for a good laugh. (I'm not sure whether the man in the picture s helpless with laughter, or has just suffered a blow to the knee. But no matter. It's all good clean fun, isn't it?)

I promise I'll try to stop now. Well, I'll try...

Happy memories

When my  two elder children were small, we lived on the edge of Knole Park in Kent, and our regular walk was through the park. There was a fallen tree stump, and we would have a picnic sitting on that stump, pretending it was a car, with the children taking it in turns to "drive", using a forked twig as a "key". Then we used to walk down the hill, and the children took it in turns to jump off these steps; the higher, the better.

Yesterday, my daughter took her own three there on a trip down memory lane, and they too took turns jumping off these steps (Geoffrey the dog could only reach step 2. He has very short legs!). My - and my daughter's - memories are of a time many years ago, but it's nice to know the steps are still there (although the tree stump is long gone. Sigh).