By Noni-Ayanna Gobern-Roach
Some things are just inevitable. The need for God, the need to eat, the need to sleep, the need for intimacy, and the need to learn to respect your elders. Sure. This new generation chooses adult/child conversations, redirection with object option transfer instead of spanking and punishment (preferred activities removed). Yes, that is all well and good as well. Noni now believes in that methodology too in addition to the occasional tap on the bottom when needed. To each their own parental choice. But, Noni herself, is being raised within the old school generation that does not necessarily have all of the behavioral modification books, PECS icons, reward bins and behavioral tracking systems. Time out is the time period in which you wait to hear what your form of punishment for the bad behavior is going to be. And, well, Noni must admit while looking back at her life, this method worked quite well for her. Too bad she is not as smart as her sister Smarty-pants though.
“I don’t care.” Smarty pants chimes. “Mom won’t know.”
Noni feels for this new young soul. So naïve. So unexpecting. So cute.
“Smarty-pants, mom told you not to do it. If I let you do it, I am going to get in trouble for letting you do it. So I am going to tell her. I don’t want to get in trouble.” Noni goodie two shoes says in return.
“I don’t care! Tell her! I’m going to do it anyway! I don’t care what mom says,” screamed not-so smart Smarty-pants.
Poor child. So young. Had she known not to yell that outburst with such disdain and to check the hallway before being that bold to say it, she would have noticed their mother in the hallway with the huge frown on her face. “What did you say Smarty-Pants?” Mom asks. “Excuse me?”
Noni notices Mommy’s eyes flickering like a light bulb. Sort of like when a light bulb’s circuit connection is not the greatest and the light is about to blow out. Mommy does this often when angry and Noni knows to leave the situation or just simply comply when the light bulb eyes surface. But Smarty-pants has no clue. She does, however, have a gift. Smarty-pants has these amazingly cute pumpkin cheeks that make you just want to pinch them all the time. She knows this too and adds this to her arsenal that day, but mom is not wavering. She must learn respect. Leaving the room, most likely to handle the situation in a proper mindset, Mom takes a few minutes and then gives Smarty-pants her judgment: a spanking in 10 minutes. Smarty-pants begs. She pleads. She gives Noni evil looks. She cries. Yet, Mom does not budge from the consequence. It is then that Smarty-pants looks at Noni with plotting eyes that were quite concerning yet intriguing at the same time.
Oh goodness. What is she up to now? Noni ponders.
Having enough of the drama, Noni leaves the room to get ready for bed. Coming back into the bedroom from the bathroom, she sees Smarty-pants in her long bathrobe with what looks like an extra five or ten pounds. Looking at their beds, Noni realizes all of her pillows missing from her bed and starts to internally laugh.
Quite creative Noni admits to herself while laughing up a storm. Mom’s reaction should be interesting.
Suddenly, Mom enters the room ready to play the role she hates most: disciplinarian. As she goes over the reasons of why the consequence is being given, Smarty-pants is equipped and ready for her padded spanking. She even goes as far as to put water in her eyes to serve as instant tear drops. As mom begins with a tap on Smarty-pants bottom, Smarty-pants suddenly transforms into an award winning actress full with visual effects and convincing verbal cries. Noni does her best not to crack up laughing for her sister's sake.
Unfortunately, Smarty-pants’ acting fame is short lived as mom taps her bottom a second time and out pops a pillow. As their eyes meet, Smarty-pants’ face gets really serious like when a married person is caught in the act of adultery or a child is caught playing with the flour in the kitchen. Trying to hold back the laughter and still present a serious face, mom sternly tells her to take the pillows out of her bathrobe and decides to change Smart-pants’ discipline to punishment with no tv for a week instead. As Noni hears her mother laughing uncontrollably in the next room, Noni realizes that Smartypants was not so naïve after all. No, not at all. Instead, she was brilliant!
“I don’t care.” Smarty pants chimes. “Mom won’t know.”
Noni feels for this new young soul. So naïve. So unexpecting. So cute.
“Smarty-pants, mom told you not to do it. If I let you do it, I am going to get in trouble for letting you do it. So I am going to tell her. I don’t want to get in trouble.” Noni goodie two shoes says in return.
“I don’t care! Tell her! I’m going to do it anyway! I don’t care what mom says,” screamed not-so smart Smarty-pants.
Poor child. So young. Had she known not to yell that outburst with such disdain and to check the hallway before being that bold to say it, she would have noticed their mother in the hallway with the huge frown on her face. “What did you say Smarty-Pants?” Mom asks. “Excuse me?”
Noni notices Mommy’s eyes flickering like a light bulb. Sort of like when a light bulb’s circuit connection is not the greatest and the light is about to blow out. Mommy does this often when angry and Noni knows to leave the situation or just simply comply when the light bulb eyes surface. But Smarty-pants has no clue. She does, however, have a gift. Smarty-pants has these amazingly cute pumpkin cheeks that make you just want to pinch them all the time. She knows this too and adds this to her arsenal that day, but mom is not wavering. She must learn respect. Leaving the room, most likely to handle the situation in a proper mindset, Mom takes a few minutes and then gives Smarty-pants her judgment: a spanking in 10 minutes. Smarty-pants begs. She pleads. She gives Noni evil looks. She cries. Yet, Mom does not budge from the consequence. It is then that Smarty-pants looks at Noni with plotting eyes that were quite concerning yet intriguing at the same time.
Oh goodness. What is she up to now? Noni ponders.
Having enough of the drama, Noni leaves the room to get ready for bed. Coming back into the bedroom from the bathroom, she sees Smarty-pants in her long bathrobe with what looks like an extra five or ten pounds. Looking at their beds, Noni realizes all of her pillows missing from her bed and starts to internally laugh.
Quite creative Noni admits to herself while laughing up a storm. Mom’s reaction should be interesting.
Suddenly, Mom enters the room ready to play the role she hates most: disciplinarian. As she goes over the reasons of why the consequence is being given, Smarty-pants is equipped and ready for her padded spanking. She even goes as far as to put water in her eyes to serve as instant tear drops. As mom begins with a tap on Smarty-pants bottom, Smarty-pants suddenly transforms into an award winning actress full with visual effects and convincing verbal cries. Noni does her best not to crack up laughing for her sister's sake.
Unfortunately, Smarty-pants’ acting fame is short lived as mom taps her bottom a second time and out pops a pillow. As their eyes meet, Smarty-pants’ face gets really serious like when a married person is caught in the act of adultery or a child is caught playing with the flour in the kitchen. Trying to hold back the laughter and still present a serious face, mom sternly tells her to take the pillows out of her bathrobe and decides to change Smart-pants’ discipline to punishment with no tv for a week instead. As Noni hears her mother laughing uncontrollably in the next room, Noni realizes that Smartypants was not so naïve after all. No, not at all. Instead, she was brilliant!