Shall I spare the rod?
Vannie tagged me with a question. Should I spank my child or not? My answer would be a yes and no. “Spare the rod and spoil the child” is a principle that my parents willingly instilled in us growing up. Of course they don’t whack us with a leather belt anymore now that we’re grown ups, but I had my share of red thighs when I was a kid. I have to admit I never really liked it when I was young, but my parents did it (actually it was my dad because my mom never had the heart to do it) in such a way that I didn’t entirely detest it. Obvious ba, I’m actually voting for it. hehe.
I’m saying yes because it actually did something good for us. My brothers and I were often spanked because we were always at each others’ throats when we were small. Knowing (and fearing) that if mom or dad finds out we are gonna get the punishment, we learned to cooperate and promise not to tell nalang. hehehe. No really, our dad always explains to us why he needs to spank us before he does it and after every time, he always reassures us that they still love us. Worked for the kids. But more than that, it really reiterated the fact the fighting with each other is bad and it’s not supposed to be a norm between the three of us. We soon grew out of that so the punishment soon became extinct.
But I’m also saying no, for now. Mia is still at an age where she obviously won’t be able to understand no matter how animated I am in telling her why I need to spank her. She’s just either gonna cry, laugh at me, or immitate me and spank herself (or me). It’ll be totally pointless. But I know that once she reaches a more cognitive level, I’ll be a bit more firm with her. Maybe I won’t have to whack her with a clotheshanger because I don’t think I really can. For now, a firm look, holding her hand, and saying “no, that’s bad” suffices.
how about you meeya, joanjoyce, and jayme, will you spank your kid?
February 15th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
weee, thanks for answering!
we are sooo the same. my sis & i after a big fight (and knowing we are going to get spanked) had learned to cooperate & pretend to get along when mom is looking to avoid the belt.
we actually learned from it.
Vannie’s last blog post..To Cane Or Not To Cane?
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kakahiya!
haha, the things that you do just to avoid punishment. pero alamo i think i still got the belt when i was about 12 or 13 i think.
-ris
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February 15th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
gawin ko sa sunday sis, thanks
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February 16th, 2008 at 12:45 am
i can’t remember my father ever spanking me. my mom did the spanking, actually. but always on my behind, and never with anything but her hand.
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wow you’re lucky ate pao. kami laging belt (dad) or hanger or ruler (mom, pero rarely. pag nainis lang talaga siya). hehe.
-ris
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February 16th, 2008 at 1:13 am
ako din, i had a close personal relationship with my dad’s belt dati. i’ll do this tag on my new tag-uan and elaborate some more, soon.
ikaw ha, suki
di bale i don’t mind. 
Meeya’s last blog post..Waking Up To Love
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magiging suki ka talaga, lalo pag mommy tags kasi konti palang kilala kong mommies eh. hehe.
i forgot to drop by and let you know about this tag
uy kilala mo din si leather belt? we were never bestfriends. i avoided it like the plague.
-ris
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February 16th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Hello! Please add my other site. Lizzz2 @ http://Justlizzen.com Thanks!
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February 16th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Well, for me I’ll only spank my child on 3 occasions: when they lie, when they disobey and when they hurt others. Of course they need to be able to understand these rules, otherwise it’s not fair to expect my child to abide by them. But of course, here in the UK, you’re not allowed to lay one finger on your child. Hand cuffs ang katapat and jail time!
Sali ka naman sa chikahan namin sa da one and onli Pinoy radio show sa UK, ang Usapang Pinoy. Bukas Saberday, 3pm UK time, o 10am sa East Coast, 7am sa West Coast, 11pm sa Manila. Punta ka sa Future Radio. Click on LISTEN ONLINE at ayun, makakarinig ka na ng Pinoy music at talakayan about issues affecting Pinoys in the Philippines, the UK, the US and elsewhere.
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joy’s last blog post..I Was Interviewed On BBC Newcastle!
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you’re right doc. those would be the only times i’d be compelled to let my kid meet the “rod”. but of course, there are other ways to discipline and i would rather try that out before the “rod”. parang hanggang 3 offenses para fair diba? madali naman ako kausap eh. hehe.
will do listen! i’ll put a link on my homepage na din so other people will know about it
-ris
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February 16th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Ris. Will do this in a bit. Feeling ko rin pareho tayo ng sagot.
Jayme’s last blog post..Movies on constant replay in my DVD
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February 17th, 2008 at 10:40 am
I think I used a cardboard or something to cover under short para di masakit. Thinking about it makes me smile actually.
Girls got different punishment than the boys tho’.
K’s last blog post..I love postcards
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and as far as our family is concerned, we all got the same punishment. i sometimes got the worst because i was the most pasaway. hehe.
i think my brother did that too
-ris
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February 17th, 2008 at 11:20 am
[...] Got this meme from sis Ris about Shall I Spare a Rod? If i’ll answer biblically it will make me even more confused LOL! [...]
February 17th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
hey! how old is Mia?
If I don’t have a daughter right now, maybe I would instantly say yes. But now I cold only say, errr…
But I want my daughter to behave rightly in public of course. Maybe I’ll burn the bridge when I get there
Kotsengkuba’s last blog post..Of home-made dumplings and rice vinegar
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im supposing your kid is pretty young still. you’re right, it’s hard to decide for now, but for me it’s still better to have a principle to draw on when that time comes. i hope i wouldn’t need to do it very often though 
mia is 1 year and 2 months. still too young for that
-ris
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February 17th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
thanks for doing the tag, mommies!
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July 10th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
ris, finally natapos ko rin ang tag. it was screaming to get out of my drafts page, hahaha!
the answers are here: http://mrsworkinggirl.com/2008/07/10/tagged-shall-i-spare-the-rod/ thanks! 
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iris reply on July 10th, 2008:
haha.. it seems like one of my drafts are screaming to get out of the list too
pero walang time… waaah!
but thanks for finishing it! hehe
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