Parenting: Preteens & Teenagers Community

I am the mother of two successful adult children, Tony 42 and Anne 40. Virtually everyday I hear of teens disrespecting or even beating up their parents and their teachers at their schools. I am so elated that I never had to deal with such egregious, appalling behavior while I raised my own two kids.

Up to 1992 I lived with them in the Caribbean while their father lived and worked in the US. I always made my children know that I loved them but if they committed an infraction they would be punished accordingly. In 1980 my son Tony was 11 and I crowned him the de-facto man of the house. I encouraged him to eat six enormous meals a day so that he could get big and strong. He soon became very fat and his belly became EXTREMELY HUGE, sticking out 20 inches forward from the front of his pants.
Tony's shirts could not cover his belly so he went around with the front of his belly exposed. His sister Anne was a little chubby herself, but I enjoyed seeing them gobble up all the hamburgers, sandwiches and cakes which I bought for them.

Whenever Tony misbehaved I'd inform him that punishment was due (for instance, one Sunday he hit his visiting 8 year old cousin Wayne on the head).
I would sit on the front porch with a hard-sole slipper or wooden cooking spoon and call Tony out. He would approach me with his immense belly pointing the way. Then I would whack him hard on his navel 8 to 10 times with the slipper, the wooden-spoon or similar implement. His belly would jiggle and shake with each impact of the slipper or spoon. There would be a resulting U-shaped weal around Tony's navel which would vanish in two hours or so.
He could choose between the slipper/ wooden-spoon or my fist. If he chose the fist, 8 punches would be delivered squarely on his navel. My fist traveled through acres of flab in his fat-filled belly. His belly would jiggle and quiver with each blow.

I would never punish Tony after he had just eaten; I would do it before mealtimes.
Whenever Anne misbehaved I would whack her on her rear end 8 to 10 times.
I NEVER took out my rage on my children from other issues such as problems at my workplace, etc.
After they did their homework, and after dinner and supper we would engage in happy, familial banter or play board games.
On Saturdays we would go shopping and we would eat dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant.
My children excelled in school, had great respect for their teachers and other elders, and went on to earn their PhD degrees by age 26.
Later they both became married with Tony having two fantastic children of his own.