Chris Grayling smacked his children.
He decided to admit
When their behaviour worsened
And he got tired of it,
A short, sharp shock administered
Was of great benefit.
Too late the gasps of horror
And do-gooders sharp moans;
Too late to whisk the ‘victims’
From a caring, loving home.
The stable door is open,
From the coop the birds have flown
Not misfits, maladjusted,
But into swans they’ve grown.
Yvonne Brunton
06 02 2013
Thanks M. C., the Lion cub is an analogy I often use.
Smacking - it's a contentious subject isn't it!! I was smacked - it didn't stop me testing & pushing boundaries - I don't smack my son & he responds to a look or tone of voice! Your poem is a lovely balance of this - the parent who decides to smack, societies new level of un acceptance & the children who flourished & became swans despite it. Nice one xx
Children have a habit of testing how far they can go -
a trait perhaps designed by Mother Nature to equip them
for the maturity they will face in their own time.
If their minds are not developed enough to reason with
the whys and wherefores of what is socially acceptable
then the threat of a smack or the deed itself - within the
parameters of a loving set-up can be of immediate benefit.
Studies of higher animal life show similar corrections by
parents of wayward behaviour by offspring. Ever seen a
lioness cuff one of her naughty cubs? The result was
instant.
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John Coopey
Sun 17th Jan 2016 17:13
"From the Coop the birds have flown" IS THIS SO OBVIOUS? WILL I DISPLAY THIS MARK OF CAIN FOREVER?
My kids (who are in their20's now) say we got the balance right between a loving chat with them and a good smack in the mouth!
I used to say "what's 7 times 6?" And if they got it wrong, belt them. We called it Physical Education. They still remember it, though.
(And good to see you posting again)