Spare the Rod Spoil the Child!

So I joined the gym that I go to because they have a daycare so that I can take the kids anytime I want to go. Well, it has now officially backfired!

John LOVES going to school two days a week. So going to the daycare area is just like going to school for him. So after my Mom and I got done, we went in to get the kids. Before we walked in we just looked in to see how they were doing and John was sitting at the table coloring a color sheet and just acting like a perfect angel! Unfortunately, Emma was cornered by another baby who was taking away her toy. More on that situation later. So my Mom and I walk in and Emma comes running, while John sticks his hand up and proceeds to tell us that he is coloring and he doesn't want to leave.

Well too bad, Bubba! So I hand Emma off to Mom and then went over to the table to put John's shoes on and then he just flipped out. I had to drag him to the couch and put his shoes on and the entire time he  screamed! SCREAMED!!!! I was mortified! He has had fits before but never like this! So I just took his hand and signed the kids out and smiled at everyone and apologized as I am walking out of the gym with everyone watching.

What I really wanted to do was put him over my knee and wear him out, but you can't do that now a days. I can't spank my kid in public because I live in fear that someone will see it and call DCS on me. And then my kids will be taken away.

I live by the bible verse of Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child. In fact, when we asked my brother-in-law (whom Lucas and I both admire tremendously) for parenting advice and his advice to us was "spank early and often". And as much as I try to talk to John to reason with him, that just doesn't work! So we spank!

So thank goodness for my mother because she held Emma so that i could take John to the car, give him a small spanking and then drive the car up to pick Emma up. Meanwhile, John is still screaming in the back of the car to now go to Nana and Poppy's house. So I said goodbye to my Mom and then promised John that once we got home he would be getting another spanking. And when we got home, John  got a good wearing out! I told him to go sit in the corner and he sat there and cried it out.

And then the sweetest thing happened. John walks up to me and says "I'm Sorry, Mom". And then gives me a hug. That is why I spank. Because he gets it then. If I just sit there and say "John, please don't do that." It's never going to land. With a spanking, it lands, and he then gets the lesson.

There is a God given place for spanking and I don't know about yours but mine has always been well padded! So if used properly, it is definitely NOT abuse!


So now Emma! Poor Emma was being cornered in the daycare area by another baby who wanted her toy. It actually kind of broke my Mom and I's heart watching that. I was really hoping that Emma would defend herself but she just gave up the toy and then had this look on her face like she wanted to do something but just didn't know what to do. 


How do you teach her to defend herself, but then at the same time not make Her the Bully? And let me just tell you, this other baby was mean!!! She had this look on her face of "I pity the FOOL that has the toy I want!!!!!"  Oh well, maybe a couple of more years with John, Emma will be able to hold her own. Until then I will always struggle with seeing my kids in those situations. Including seeing them act in a manor that I know is not their norm.

Please keep Lucas in your prayers. He is traveling this week and missed John leading singing and he's really upset about that. So please pray for him and his safe return.


Love you all,
Holly