I was born in 1958 and was educated by a mother who fervently believed in physical punishment during the training stage.

I was whipped until I was 12 years old, always on my bare bottom as my mother didn’t care about my modesty or the shame of showing my private parts.

One of the most embarrassing spankings happened when I was seven years old and we at the house of one of my uncles. I was playing with another child, I made him fall into the pool, which he was prohibited from entering as he was a non-swimmer.

Observing what had happened, my mother jumped up from her chair and grabbed my ear while the mother of the other child helped him out of the water.

Without saying a word, my mother lowered my swimming trunks, took off one of her flip-flops and gave me a beating across my bare bottom in front of everyone present.

Understandably, the beating made my scream and cry uncontrollably and to add to my embarrassment, my mother put me – still stark naked – under a cold shower that was by the pool until the icy cold water ended my tantrum. I calmed down somewhat but still cried inconsolably at such public humiliation.

However, I learned my lesson and never again pushed anyone into the pool.