My parents had been babysitting the daughter of some very close friends over a period of several years. The girl, named Cheryl, was four years younger than myself. We had known each other and played together since for many years. Cheryl and I both had loving parents, and discipline was rarely needed to straighten out any misbehaviour.

On one memorable day, my parents and I were visiting with Cheryl’s parents in their home. The adults were in the living room, and Cheryl and I were playing in her bedroom. We were having a great time, and laughing hard at something or other.

Suddenly, Cheryl said: “I have to go wee wee”. She grabbed herself as she started for the bathroom – but it was too late. She wet herself. Unfortunately, her mother was in the hallway, heard her and came into the room.

When she saw what had happened, she became angry and went over to Cheryl. Then, holding her daughter around the waist, she gave Cheryl about six hard spanks right on her bare bottom. Cheryl was standing facing me during all this, as I sat there watching.

Little Cheryl’s body rocked forward with each spank. Then her mother took her by the hand down the hall, crying, into the bathroom, where Cheryl had to sit on the toilet to finish what she had accidentally started. Having finished, her mother placed her in the bathtub and washed off her lower body with a warm washcloth. Then it was back to the bedroom to get dressed again.

Later that afternoon, we were again at play – this time outside in the back yard. Cheryl was now wearing a dress. She mentioned to me that her bottom still hurt from the spanking.

So, I can say with authority that mothers do spank on thebottom, with the receiving culprit standing up. This incident is forever in my memory and was just the beginning of my education about girls.