” I am very sorry to hear this,” said Mother, but you know only too well Peter, we do not spank in this family. You will have to tell her that your punishment is not television for a week as well as some extra chores.”

“But Mother,” I whined,” If I do not get spanked Mrs Winters will not let me go there to play anymore.

“I am not happy about this,” Mother said,” It is not ok for another parent to tell me how I should be punishing my own children.”

“So what shall I tell her?” I asked.  ” I want to be able to go around to their house and play with Paul again, and I cannot lie about it,  after all that would be wrong.”

Mother was silent for a moment.

Then She said, “Let me think about this.”

 

After supper that evening, Mother gathered us all together, so my sisters Lucy and Claire and my little brother Ben would know what was going on.

Mother explained what had happened and she told us all that she was not going to make a big deal out of the situation with Mrs Winters.

However, she also made it very clear that under no circumstance would she use spanking on any of us just because someone else’s parent thought that she should.