Times, my how they have changed

I remember when I was much younger something I had done that deserved punishment from my parents. I was about 14 years old if my ole memory serves correct, let's face it, it's not what it once was and we owned horses. Several horses actually and it was me and my sister's chore and responsibility to feed, water and clean stalls. Along with lots of other chores horse related. God at the chores for those horses we loved so much. Well this particular day I done everything like normal with the exception of watering. God only knows why I didn't think they needed water this day. It was hot summer time. Temps in the high 90's and the heat index even higher. As well as anyone who has ever lived in the south or heck even visited it knows the humidity alone makes it stifling hot. My mother checked on me that day and the horses for some reason. I guess her motherly intuition must have kicked in. So she is the one who discovered I had not watered the poor things. This was still early in the morning when she found my mistake. So she ensued the proper punishment for my crime. I was to mow the yard no small feat as our yard was one and half acres, use the weed eater, and water the flower beds. At first I thought this to be no big punishment and thought how lucky was I that Mom is who found out and not Dad. Then mom continued on..........................I was to do all of it and drink nothing all day. All of this so I could see how our horses truly felt to do without.

I mowed the yard first, weed whacked it and then watered the flowers. The entire time of my punishment I was bitching under my breath about how WRONG this was, how cruel my mom must have been treated when she was young and how could a mother treat her child this way! Me being the respectful child I was and still am mind you, never once thought of drinking anything. Not even while I had the stupid water hose in my hands watering the flowers. Now it could have been respect on my part but let's be real here, it's honestly because my teenage brain never thought about it. Had I been smart enough I am sure I would have had a small drink of water behind her back. Then again Mom like all mom's, had eyes in the back of her head and ears that could hear a pin drop a mile away. So I took my punishment and went to bed that night never having one small sip of blessed water.

Did I ever forget to water the horses again? Hell NO, those babies got watered every day for the rest of their lives by me till the day I moved out. Mom's punishment worked.

Years later this discussion came up for topic at a family holiday. Mom could not believe I never took a sip of water that day. She then felt sorry for what she had done. She swore she just knew I would have taken a few sips and honestly when she gave this punishment to me she expected this in a small way she said. This lesson taught me a lot. It taught me to do chores with care, to not let my mind wander when others depended on me. It also gave me more respect for my mother.

My how times have changed in this day and age by us, we parents who now dole out punishment for our children's crimes.

My oldest bonus child, Rug rat 1 came home the other night with her first very bad grade on her report card. Rug rat 1 is in the 5th grade, is in the gifted and talented class, and never ever makes bad grades. This was a complete surprise to my trucker. He was in shock that she could do this. Not so much to me because after all she is in elementary school. It gets harder as they grow and mature and move up in school as well as when thoughts of boys occupy the inner most recesses of it. All of which I had been reminding him of for future reference. When trucker told me of her grades I kept my mouth shut for the most part. Keeping some thoughts to myself as they were better left unsaid. Thoughts such as "nananana, see I told you". Shame on me but sometimes he rubbed this in my face more than once when Princess occasionally brings home a bad grade.

So trucker started talking punishment to me. One thing we have always tried to do since we got married is to stay out of each other's children's punishment issues. Trucker and his ex work this out themselves and sometimes not always in my book come up with reasonable and fitting punishments. Once again I kept my mouth shut. God is this ever hard to do when you yourself have already gone through raising children and knowing what you have done wrong and most especially want to pass your knowledge on to others. However I remained quiet and listened. They chose together what they felt best for this particular case. Rug rat 1 was grounded from the computer for a grand total of 3 days. 3 whole days off the computer. HaHaHa. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor here where I have rolled around in laughter and wipe the tears from my eyes. As you have probably guessed I don't think this is enough punishment as Rug rat 1 never shed a tear. Never said I am sorry and it won't happen again.

I hope this works for them, I really really do. I hope it's nipped in the butt now as later and it happen again.

Had this been when I was in grade school? My butt would have stung for a few days from the spanking I would have received. My how times have changed.