kenw@lcuxc.UUCP (K Wolman) (02/14/85)
Ken Arndt recently posted this response to a note I posted on spanking. For some reason, he chose to put it in net.jokes. Since he believes it is germane to the issue, I have taken the liberty of reposting it without comment. ************************** >Ken: > I was so glad to read your views on spanking in your recent posting. >At last I feel that I can come out of the closet. I had thought that perhaps >I was the only one who felt this way. I reference your statements about why >one should strike a child on the bum. When you said one benefit was that it >wasn't necessary to LOOK at the child when so doing I opened the closet door. > >You see, I have long hated to look my children in the eye when taking them to >task for their infractions. I could see their little minds at work wrecking >vengence upon me. In my mind's eye I could see little Ken pushing off the >ice floe upon which my wheel chair sits and launching it out into the icy >depths. I don't want them to take it personal. > >Soooo. I have developed the 'Kindness Box'. I'll send you the plans if you >want. It's easy to build over a weekend. Let me describe it to you. It is >a three sided box big enough to fit the child into and it hinges on the wall >on one side. The top is fitted with a hole through which a broom stick fits. >(I got the idea while watching an educational show on old Colonial life. >>From a butter maker.) When it gets to be 'that time' just swing the box away >from the wall and fit the child inside and swing the box back against the wall. >Now he can't see or be seen. Work the broom stick up and down vigorously a >few times (depending upon the infraction) and hey presto! Dicipline without >eye contact. I have placed one of my boxing gloves on the end of the broom >stick inside the box to prevent indentations that might be hard to explain. > >I really feel better about the whole process of dicipline. I know I have to do >it but it is not a pleasant task. I've explained it all to them and I'm sure >they don't blame me because with the 'Kindness Box' it is all so impersonal. > >There's just one thing I'd like to ask you about. Are you SURE that just >because there is no eye contact during dicipline they don't hold it against >you? I mean, in my case, . . . well, I have . . . concerns. For example, >last night I went down to the kitchen to fix myself a cup of tea and when I >opened the cabinet a cascade of pots and pans and sharp edged toys hit me! >It's just a freak accident like they swear, right? > >Then why is it I have an awful foreboding about going down to the cellar??? > >Let me know what you think, buddy. > >Concerned in New Hampshire, > >Ken Arndt > -- Ken Wolman Bell Communications Research @ Livingston, NJ lcuxc!kenw (201) 740-4565 ". . . Toto, I don't think we're in the Bronx anymore. . . ."