Glenda Norwood Petz, Author

How many of you out there got your butts tore up when you were a kid?  Can I see a show of hands?  And be honest.  I am not ashamed to say that I did, many times.  And you know what?  I’m glad I did.  I’m happy that my mother loved me enough to discipline me when needed, to teach me the difference between right and wrong, all to ensure that I developed and grew into a respectable woman.  Guess what?  It worked!  I believe that I am a good and decent human being that knows how to show kindness, compassion, sympathy toward others, etc.  I love God and I know that He loves me.  I have an extremely soft heart and I cry when I see others hurting.  I can carry on a conversation without the use of profanity, I’ve never been in trouble with the law, I’ve never done drugs, and I don’t consume alcoholic beverages.  You might be thinking, “what is she, a goody two shoes?”  And the answer is no, I am not.  I believe with all of my heart that my choices in life began with the loving teachings of my mother, who was single (divorced) and raised three daughters on her own, working two and three jobs at a time to provide for us, but ALWAYS made us three girls her top priorities.

Things have changed drastically in the way of discipline since I was a kid.  Back then, a parent could spank their children without fear of repercussions, or “damaging their psyches,” or prompting an investigation by Child Protective Services for child abuse!!  If by psyches you mean rear-ends, then yes, mine was extremely damaged.  There is a HUGE difference between child abuse and issuing discipline to correct a child’s behavior, but somewhere along the way, the wires got crossed between the two, resulting in a large number of parents being afraid to spank their children due to the fear of being reported. (Thank you government officials for sticking your noses somewhere that they don’t belong, then having the nerve to ask what’s wrong with today’s youth!!!)  DUH!!!  I have personally witnessed many instances where a child needed to be “taken to the bathroom” for unruly public tantrums, feeling horrible for the embarrassed parents, hearing others whisper “if that was my kid, I’d….”  I’ve heard preteens and teenagers using language that truly has me believing that the F word has become a natural part of a casual conversation!

I know that there are parents out there who struggle day to day to raise their children properly, and many who do still spank their kids.  Kudos to them for being loving and caring parents in a society that looks for reasons to condemn others for their familial practices.  I also know that there are just as many parents who did their best to raise their children properly, but at a certain age, they begin making their own decisions (and not always good ones) and some go in a totally opposite direction than the way they were raised, either because of peer pressure, resentment, or a million other reasons.

Discipline is necessary, and it is important.  It is extremely conducive in structuring them and molding them into the people we hope they will become.