A punch is as good as a smack
My mother is a wonderful person. I love her very much, she supports me in everything I do and I respect her more than almost anyone alive.

However, when I was a kid, living at home, we didn't get on quite so well. I was hardly a model child, but she wasn't a totally perfect mother either. Having done something bad, I would be chased round the house with a flip-flop and given a smack, or two.

Sometimes, this was justified. But as I got older I had an increasing feeling that sometimes, it was not fair. She seemed to be overreacting to certain situations, not listening to me or my explanations and not trusting me when I was telling the truth, and I developed an increasing resentment of her.

One day, when I was about 11, this came to a head. I had done something - god knows what - but I was chased upstairs with the aforementioned flip-flop, crying and feeling like I couldn't explain myself to her. She shouted at me, I screamed tearfully back at her, she hit me, I didn't know what to do but I knew I was fed up with all this and it just wasn't fair...

So I punched her.

Right in the mouth. Her glasses flew off and after a few seconds of shock she started crying and ran away.

Every time I tell this story to someone they are shocked. I'm not surprised.

But that said, it's weird how much your smackings reduce once you've punched your own mother in the face.
(cypherspace is not a toaster, Mon 16 Nov 2009, 10:45, 8 replies)

Sounds awful - hope you and your Mum had a good talk about that.
I had a better way to stop the beatings from my father. The last time he put me over his knee and beat the living daylights of out my backside with a shoe, I was 9. I simply did not cry, or moan or scream or beg for forgiveness like I had done every time before. All I did was after it was finished, stand up, look him straight in the eye and hold his gaze for a few seconds, then walk off. He never did it again.
( Michael Ellis contributes nothing, Mon 16 Nov 2009, 10:54, closed)

This is the argument against smacking, of course - that violence breeds violence.
I don't think this is a nice tale, and I have no respect for anyone who seeks to hurt a woman, but I can't see any reason to take offense on your mother's part. If you hit someone, you'd better do it in full knowledge that they might hit you back, which is what you did.

All in all I'd say the score was nil-nil.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Mon 16 Nov 2009, 11:08, closed)

Did you not read that post?
Surely its lots-1, at the very best you could say 1-1 but 0-0? No chance.
(ShitShoe, Mon 16 Nov 2009, 14:12, closed)

I get it
there were no winners, see?

Shame that violence is actually the last word in civilised debate. (Armies etc) We're fucked on every level as far as I can tell.
(AndyC4m Eject Eject [><], Mon 16 Nov 2009, 16:29, closed)

Why
is it bad to "seek to hurt a woman", but (by implcation) therefore OK to seek to hurt a man?

You sexist bastard.
(thefuckestuppest cheapened this, on, Tue 17 Nov 2009, 17:35, closed)

The eponymous flip-flop?
What did it give its name to?
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 16 Nov 2009, 16:17, closed)

lol
I rather enjoyed that.
(AndyC4m Eject Eject [><], Mon 16 Nov 2009, 16:29, closed)

Ooh good lord
Nice catch. I genuinely didn't know that, cheers. Replaced with something correct!
(cypherspace is not a toaster, Mon 16 Nov 2009, 21:58, closed)