To SpAnK oR nOT tO sPaNk? / NaLgUeaR a Tu HiJo O nO?

Few topics can cause a big stir like this one. Before these politically correct, child abuse hotline times parents would spank. The quickest way to put an end to a dissrespectful child was a smack across the face. I was spanked. With palm, belt and few times, with whatever was available. Mind you, I don't think I was a bad kid, I was mostly corrected for bitting my younger sister ( For some reason I thought she had chewable arms) and not eating. Now, truth be told; calling me a picky eater would be putting it gently. I won't go into details, but it was pretty bad.
Our parents raised me and my brother and sister to always say hello, please and thankyou. "Don't touch ANYTHING" we were instructed before going in a store, and you bet your life none of us did. "Don't ask for anything at someone else's house, not even water". And we didn't. My husband was raised the same way. Sometimes we kinda laugh and cringe at how strict things were. But things worked, at least; most of the time.

Last night I was forced to watch a nasty show in a restaurant where a young mom left grandma to care for her 3 year old girl and what seemed a 3-4 month old boy while she ran errands. I was appalled at the way the girl hit, yelled and insulted her grandma. She threw a ceramic plate and broke it, hollered like the place was on fire, hit her grandma and baby brother because of a tantrum. This went on for the whole meal. She ran away from the place "looking for mommy". And there went grandma running to her, leaving the baby unattended for a good 5 minutes. Everyone was uncomfortable, yet grandma just took all the abuse this 3 year old gave her. When her mother came and grandma told her what had happened; young mom said: "Nattie, is that true? Hmmm... common, eat your hotdog now my baby". They left five minutes later, with the girl still hollering and actually sliding on the floor, dragged by mom's hand. Some people clapped.
I think Nattie could use a spanking, and that makes me a bad person to some. But I would have never DARED to pull any of that off at her age; and I turned out ok. I think. This blog is dedicated to any mom who has lovingly but assertively corrected her kid. And to Alex, who half-joking told me he's too busy to read my Blog.

Pocos temas causan tanta controversia como este. Antes de estos tiempos políticamente correctos y donde todo parece abuso infantil, los padres nalgueaban a sus hijos. La manera más rápida de acabar con un chamaco irrespetuoso era una bofetada en la boca. A mi me pegaron de chica; con la mano, el cinturón, y pocas veces lo que hubiera a la mano. Yo creo que no fuí tan mala, la mayor parte del tiempo me pegaban por morder a mi hermana menor (por alguna razón yo creía que sus brazos eran masticables) y por no querer comer. Ahora, para ser honestos, llamarme una niña melindrosa hubiera sido hacerme un favor. Yo no comía NADA. No entraré en detalles, pero era feo. Nuestros padres nos criaron a mi hermana, mi hermano y a mí a decir hola, porfavor y gracias SIEMPRE. "No toquen NADA" nos decían antes de entrar a una tienda, y lo cumplíamos. "No pidan NADA en casa ajena, ni agua" y lo hacíamos. A mi esposo lo educaron de la misma manera. A veces nos reímos y temblamos de lo estricto que podía ser; pero la verdad es que funcionaba, la mayoría de las veces.

Anoche me ví obligada a prescenciar un horrendo show en Sanborn's, donde una mamá joven dejó a la abuela a cargo de su hija de 3 años y un bebé como de 3-4 meses en lo que hacía unas compras. Me quedé perpleja de ver como la niñita golpeaba, gritaba é insultaba a su abuelita. Rompió un plato de cerámica, gritaba como si se quemara, golpeaba a su abuela y al hermanito bebé por un berrinche. Y así fué toda la cena. Salía corriendo del lugar buscando a "mamita", obligando a la abuela a salir tras ella, dejando al bebé desatendido por unos 5 minutos. Todos los clientes estábamos incómodos, pero la abuela se dejaba maltratar por esta criatura de 3 años!
Cuando la mamá volvió y la abuela le contó lo sucedido, dijo "Natty, es eso cierto? hmm... cómete tu hotdog bebé". Se fueron a los cinco minutos, la niña seguía berreando y era arrastrada por el suelo. Algunos aplaudieron.
Yo creo que a Natty le hacen falta dos buenas nalgadas, y eso me hace una mala persona a los ojos de algunos. Pero yo jamás me hubiera ATREVIDO a hacer ese teatrito, y salí bien. Eso creo.
Este blog esta dedicado a cualquier mamá que con amor pero certeza haya corregido a su chamaco/a. Y a Alex, que medio en broma me dijo que está demasiado ocupado para leer mi blog.