Over the lap
This is probably the most common position, and also the most desirable one. It is also often called “over the knee” although the child is actually put over the parent’s thighs, not knees.
The parent sits down on an armless chair, a couch or a bedside. The child is placed across the parent’s lap, with his/her head and arms to the left and his/her legs to the right. Normally, the child’s arms and legs will be dangling down from that position. However, if the parent sits far enough back on a couch or bed, an inherent advantage is the full-length support of the child’s body, making it that much harder to squirm out of position. As well, the lack of any real bending at the child’s hips leaves his/her bottom rounder and more resilient; in other words, more spankable.