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How were you disciplined as a child??

(146 Posts)
Fallingstar Thu 05-Feb-26 22:09:26

I was never a very naughty child but did have my moments, and when I did it would fall to my dad to smack me on the back of the legs, my mum was very much a ‘wait till your father gets home’ kind of person, which just prolonged the torture. I never saw this as abuse because most of my friends got a smack or a thick ear for misbehaving.
At school teachers would rap our knuckles with a ruler and one would throw a board duster at our heads. But for really bad behaviour we would get ‘the pump’ rather than the cane, this was a plimsoll/pump which the offending child would have applied to their bottom whilst bending over, the male headteacher would apply this to the boys and the female deputy to the girls.
Am so glad this doesn’t go on any more even though myself and my siblings never really felt overly upset about it, and neither myself or my DH ever smacked our own children.
How were you disciplined as a child?

crazyH Sat 07-Feb-26 21:35:47

I wasn’t smacked as a child, or rather I don’t remember, But, as a teenager I was 😂- I was a naughty teenager

crazyH Sat 07-Feb-26 21:28:28

I think my children will say I smacked them a lot. I took out the frustrations of an unhappy marriage , on my kids. Such an awful way to deal with it.

123gran Sat 07-Feb-26 21:24:08

Days of silence and the cold shoulder when I’d no idea what I’d done wrong. I remember being told I was more trouble than I was worth and then when I was a young shy teenager the shaming and humiliation which she seemed to enjoy (probably her menopause years). Plus the odd bits of violence. My father implied I was responsible for keeping her happy and stopping her from leaving home. A volatile woman who was cruel to my two half-sisters (my father’s). He was too afraid to challenge her. Yet I seemed to be strangely dependent on her too probably because I had so little self esteem. Feel very guilty writing this - she could be nice too if in a good mood.

Seapebble Sat 07-Feb-26 21:01:28

Like Sago, Kate and others, my childhood was hell at home with a sadistic father who beat us in a way so horrific I can't go into it. We looked like a very respectable family from outside. Cruel nuns finished the job away from home. Like others, I still remember nasty, cruel and violent teachers. I did have the satisfaction decades later of a grovelling apology from two of those teachers. A child wants like-for-like revenge but by that time I was doing my best to be a responsible adult so I was happy with that. They can't hurt me now and I made sure not to carry that violence into my own family. So thankful for my loving and supportive husband (and several excellent shrinks heheh).

arum Sat 07-Feb-26 21:00:37

I was the youngest of 4 children. I think my parents were tired of having children. No decent birth control in the 50's. My elder siblings had the knack of playing tricks and then running away to leave me to face the flack. My mother used to hit me (or any of us) with a flat hand across the side of our heads, like a wimbeldon player doing the grand slam. My dad used a heavy leather whip. We had to bend forwards, pull our panties down, and he would give us "cuts" to teach us a lesson I ofen was sent to my room, but I soon discovered I was thin enough to slip through the burglar bars into the garden. Thereafter I was sent to sit in the toilet. This tiny cubicle had a small high window, which proved no hurdle for me. I managed to climb onto the cistern and shivvied out of the window, hanging onto the sill to drop down to the ground outside. When were a bit older, our dad took to giving us endless speeches which made no impression on us, except for us loathing him even more. Often he would tell us we were "big and old and ugly enough" to know this, or to not do that.

SueEH Sat 07-Feb-26 19:20:02

I was a smacked regularly; one day whilst queuing in a shop I announced to all and sundry that my mummy hadn’t smacked me today yet .. this was promptly remedied.
I remember hiding in the understair cupboard when my dad came with his belt, but the last time he smacked me I was about 15 and was standing on a high stool trying to reach something in a cupboard. He started smacking me on the backs of my legs and I suddenly found it hilarious. The more I laughed the more he smacked- but he never did it again.

sankev Sat 07-Feb-26 18:41:21

A telling off was all my parents ever did to punish us, but we hated to disappoint them so it worked. In Infant 2 - so I would have been 6 - I was hit across the hand in front of the whole class. I had won a school competition for writing a story, and won a lady bird book Rapunzel. I was so excited I spoke to my friend who sat next to me and that was the punishment! I still remember the teacher, an old spinster called Miss Rain! Tweeds and brogues! I was a timid little girl and it absolutely devastated me! So glad it’s not allowed. As an adult I worked with children who had been abused and then they themselves became abusers! So much damage caused because the behaviour was normal to them. I know lots of loving parents have given their children an odd clip around their ear but as others say some don’t know when to stop and it becomes normalised.

knspol Sat 07-Feb-26 18:23:49

My mother smacked me all the time leaving handprints, she also had a cane that she used to use on me. Dad never ever used any sort of physical punishment and generally took my side when I was in tears after being hit which caused aggro between the two of them.

Romola Sat 07-Feb-26 18:18:09

Mother would give me a light box on the ear when I was cheeky. Father once beat me in a humiliating way when I challenged him for making a really nasty remark to my younger sister.
I was maybe 15 at the time and never forgave him.

Shabti100 Sat 07-Feb-26 17:37:53

My lovely dad never laid a finger on me he would lower his paper, look over his glasses and say he was dissapointed! The heartbreak!! My mother had the LOOK. I think she smacked my bottom once when I was about 9 and went to play in the woods after being forbidden. I was supposed to be home by 4pm I rolled in at 6pm she thought I'd been abducted. The only other time was when I was out with my boyfriend told to be home by 10.30pm and rolled in at 11.30pm she chased me up the stairs (and missed). However secondary school was awful I had the maths teacher as my firm teacher, I was terrible at maths, used to be physically sick before her lessons she would make me stand on my chair and walk me on the calves and fingers whenever I got it wrong which was all the time. Then on the desk, if you cried she did it worse. Of course the class thought it hugely funny. My mum went up to the school but it made her worse, she called me a snivelling little sneak and doubled up on the ruler. Unfortunately she was my maths teacher until 5th year. One day I rebelled I called her a wicked evil bully and walked out of school. Of course my courage deserted me and no power on earth made me return to school. I didnt do my O levels and lost my place at Art school. I hope that cruel evil witch had to pay for her actions. If not in this life then the next.

Dreadwitch Sat 07-Feb-26 17:09:51

I had nuns in primary school and they were vile women. I remember one was really nice and she'd be the one consoling the kids who were screamed at by one of the others. I didn't experience violence but they mentally tortured the kids for sure.

I remember peeing myself during assembling (because we wouldn't dare ask to go while the head nun was waffling at us) when I was probably 5 or 6, I started crying and the nearest nun came over and asked why I was crying and not listening. I told her, expecting help but no, she decided to grab my arm, drag me to the front and announced to everyone that I couldn't control myself and wait 10 minutes for whatever the boss woman was called to finish and had decided to wee myself. Then she paraded me through the hall so every single kid got a good look at my wet clothes and refused to do anything about them. I was left in those clothes all day.

Fortunately my mum had also experienced the nasty side of nuns so had none of it and ranted at the nun in front of all the other kids and parents. I never went back to that school again after that day.

I imagine they're not all bad but when they are they're absolutely vile.

Allira Sat 07-Feb-26 17:07:42

But I just think that was the way it was in the 1950's of child rearing.

No it wasn't in all cases.

Yes, I had to mind my ps and qs.

Dreadwitch Sat 07-Feb-26 17:03:08

My dad beat me then locked me in the cellar or cupboard, I'm autistic and have adhd yet he thought it best to punish me in the worst way he could think of for behaviour I had no control over.

Once my mum left him she punished me by grounding me or taking things away, mostly the tv in my bedroom.

Thankfully I missed out on corporal punishment in schools although one teacher threw a blackboard rubber at me once, I threw it back!

Thankfully beating kids is no longer acceptable, I managed to raise 3 of them without using violence once and they've grown into perfectly normal adults.

mrsgreenfingers56 Sat 07-Feb-26 16:54:42

Very interesting thread this one.

Yes I was smacked by two very disciplinarian parents. Father had quick temper and mother wouldn't stand any nonsense as she called it. But I just think that was the way it was in the 1950's of child rearing. My two siblings received the same treatment but parents were very loving and we had a wonderful upbringing with many opportunities given to us.

After an evening meal the three of us used to leap onto dad and have a play fight, comb his hair and tease him.

Parents were sticklers for good manners and "Please may I leave the table" and the use of please and thank you.

We certainly knew our boundaries and later on in life I used to tell Dad he wouldn't have got anyway with the good hidings he gave us in todays modern way of parenting. He always said the three of us turned out well so not in vain!

But we weren't naughty children, our parents were just a product of strict parenting themselves.

I had the ruler on my hand at school and boy that really hurt.
Boys got the cane over their bottom, how times have changed!

Labradora Sat 07-Feb-26 16:52:34

BlueBelle

I was taught by nuns but never once had or saw or heard of any violence, we never were hit or slapped or anything I seem to be bucking the trend here but they were all quite kind and getting told off would be detention or lines onlyand that was 50s and early 60s

I'll second this. I also was taught by nuns(at secondary school level). The Maths nun always looked miserable but violence of any kind was out of the questionThe Headmistress was a nun and perceptive about my weaknesses and helped me with kind guidance.The others were intelligent, well trained and the religious education nun was an original and a joy and always cheerful.
So sorry any posters had a terrible time with unkind parents and violent teachers.

David49 Sat 07-Feb-26 16:27:39

A junior school there was plenty of detention and slipperings for those that transgressed, I had my share. At home the occasional slap for sibling squabbling. Generally I kept myself busy with hobbies so avoided conflict

EllieAnne Sat 07-Feb-26 16:26:38

I only remember getting smacked once by my dad and I must have been about 3. I remember it still. I never had a good relationship with him all my life. A bit of fear mixed with dislike and feel img uncomfortable in his presence.
At school it was a leather belt on the hand. I had that twice.

Thisismyname1953 Sat 07-Feb-26 16:14:45

I feel so sorry for those of you who were mistreated by your parents in the name of discipline. I came from a poor working class family but we were never smacked and the worst we got was to be shouted at.
Same at school . I remember being smacked on my hand by a teacher once only but I had no idea what I was supposed to have done and I attended an all girls grammar school so there was no violence there either .
Our deputy head teacher only had to look at you and you would be quaking in your shoes 😂.

bigmama1960 Sat 07-Feb-26 15:54:32

I was adopted after my parents had been married for 10 years and no baby. babies were next on the list of Marriage, House, Car, Good Jobs then babies but they didnt happen. She fell pregnant while my adoption was going through and wanted to keep me. Great you might think? At the age of 7 she said she would have preferred a dog to children but she hated dogs. I was hit for anything. I said something one in my early teens and she went to my bedroom, tore up my newly acquired checked shirt, threw all my clothes out of my wardrobe all over the room and threw talc all over them. I had a little radio, she smashed it on the floor cos I refused to sit on the toilet and try to poo when I came home from school. She smacked very regularly. My dad, a lovely gentle bloke was ordered by her to hit me cos I wasnt helping with the washing. He hit me with a wire coat hanger across my bare backside and legs. It left lines of bruises. She didnt deserve children and later in life told me she only ever wanted my dad x

Wren5 Sat 07-Feb-26 15:51:49

I was smacked by my mam & father, mostly my father though. Can remember him taking his belt off because me & my younger brother were fighting & arguing, we both hid under the bed. It wasn't excessive smacks & I grew up none the worse for it. Never smacked my own child but his father made up for that sad, he wasn't a very nice human being. I was physically & mentally abused by him, a horrid, horrid man.

4allweknow Sat 07-Feb-26 15:46:49

Never had any physical punishment at home as I knew if my dad became involved I was in real trouble. One look from him was enough. At school it was the tawse, only had that once when boys wouldn't stop make a noise when drinking milk with straws. Teacher couldn't figure who the culprits were so threatened whole class if they didn't stop. Just as he finished his warning there was a loud sucking noise so whole class pulled out row at a time. By the time he finished, teacher was exhausted!

rowyn Sat 07-Feb-26 15:42:54

I always did as I was told. Don't know why!!
There were 3 adults in the house - ..father, mother and great aunt, plus a brother who was 10 years older than me. I was the little mouse that sat in a corner and read books. ( My mother very cleverly taught me to read fluently, well before I started school.. So I just amused myself by reading.

graciemabel Sat 07-Feb-26 15:22:28

I wasn't really naughty at all, but I played up once for not having my best shoes on during a rare trip to town. My mother was a darling woman but she literally tapped the back of my leg. I was horrified! I'm 72 and still remember it well. My father never touched us but a look was enough.

Jockytaff Sat 07-Feb-26 15:18:15

No physical discipline by my parents but I had a few teachers both at Primary & secondary school who shouldn't have been allowed within 100 miles of a school - pure bullies who would have been imprisoned if today's standards applied then.

Mamar2 Sat 07-Feb-26 15:13:51

I can honestly say that I was a mischievous little girl full of life, rather than naughty. Looking back it seems that my mum & nuns (infant/junior school) thought it was their duty to beat that free spirit out of me to fit in with the 'no trouble' children. I was hit hard at home + mental harm and beaten + mental harm at school. My place of safety was at my lovely Auntie's who I still love & miss dearly.