“WHUPPINGS”

For the millennials, ” whuppings ” is the term that was used in my youth for a whipping and/or a spanking. In my day bumper stickers were not an “in thing”, but if they had been the following would have been the most popular. ” Spare the rod and spoil the child”. Proverbs 13:24. Just got an atta boy and amen from my mom.

Today’s world puts a totally different connotation on discipline than what was the norm in the fifties, at least at our house. Just saying if you ” messed ” up right now ( 2024) you might lose the gameboy control for two days, car privileges for a week, and God forbid loss of the cell phone. The cell phone discipline can result in panic attacks, shallow breathing, a cold sweat, and being ostracized by your peers for not commenting on a current TikTok post. Allow me to take you ” back to the fifties when yours truly was the “posterboy” for ” whuppings”. I have a top five list Netflix is interested in ( haha), but I will share only one this blog. More to follow.

You never ever misbehaved at church. There were times even the preacher would interrupt his sermon and call down a rowdy child. More times than one did my peeps and I hit the floor as the parents turned to see who he was referring too. After being caught redhanded in church, I am reminded what a good athlete my mom was. She could pivot three-hundred and sixty degrees, while reciting bible verses and spanking me the whole time. My middle sister who threw me under the bus more than once would become prophetic with a sheepish grin, ” Ma, he said can you just spank him without the preaching”? I did double down with that comment. Yes, listen more and talk less.

As I sit here smiling to myself for ALL the crazy things I did growing up there is resolve for that discipline. Many years later I realized the motive behind my mom’s actions. ” Son, as a loving mother every time I am forced to punish you it hurts me more than it hurts you, let it be a lesson for life”. And it has.

Be safe.