59 replies to this topic

[Dave]

I get what you're saying because I've seen the 'raised voice' effect working. It works here. I can upset the sprog effectively by using tones of voice. I mean upset in terms of getting a point across. Aye, it does hurt more for a parent to smack - if you're well adjusted.

[nb from rome]

griffin, on Jun 15 2007, 10:38 PM, said:

I am not a parent, as you know, but have always taken the view that, once a child sees its parents lose their temper or raise their voice, their authority is effectively at an end.

Oh, THAT'S where I went wrong. Thanks Griff.

[Griffin]

Prego I should say that, although the household is lacking in ankle-biters, it is not short of expertise (in the shape of Herself) in the field of child care and psychology, and she concurs wholeheartedly.

[Blossom]

I used to find, when mine were little (and sometimes now they are teenagers), that if I count to three it does the trick, an uncle asked me once, when he saw me use this method to get my daughter to behave, "what happens when you get to 3" to which I replied, "I don't know I have never got there" and I still haven't. I tell then I will count to three then start counting, by the time I get to 2 they have stopped what it was they were doing. This works less often now though!

[ellie ellins]

Funny you should say that Blossom I used that today with some 16 year old lads - they were out of their seats looking at someone's work and not getting on and I was a bit busy but I could see them from the corner of my eye. I told them several times to sit down but they ignored me and I then went I will give you three seconds and the last one sitting goes outside. They just ran and sat down. I had to chuckle to myself.

[SaintJeff]

Stuff like that works a treat with kids doesnt it? Say i'm with my daughter and were going somewhere and shes messing about and being a pain i'll just say something like "I bet i can get to (insert destination here) before you can" and were there in no time. I love it

[donkey o'tay]

The only reason father christmas exists is for blackmailing youngsters into being good in the run up to christmas.

[BtC]

And it works a treat!

[Griffin]

In the early days of this poll, I seem to remember that smacking children and corporal punishment had a majority in favour, but hanging had a majority against. I am glad to see that hanging is now pulling ahead (by a short neck).

[Dave]

Would you like to be a hangman Griff?

[Griffin]

Would you like to be a psychoanalyst? Seriously, it's strange you should ask, because there's a story in the family (I have absolutely no idea if it's true) that the vacancy arose for a public hangman, and my grandfather announced that he was going to apply. He had a painting business, and the position of hangman was a part-time job which would have fitted in nicely. He was only dissuaded when my grandmother said she would leave him. Albert Pierrepoint is an interesting person to read up on. He came from a family of hangmen (who would now, of course, have to be hangpersons) and he seems to have taken a great deal of pride in the job. He got to travel a good deal. Long after the British left Ireland, they were still providing the hangman, and the first execution Pierrepoint assisted at was conducted by his uncle at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin. He was responsible for carrying out the death sentences imposed at the Nuremberg Trials. Coincidentally, a number of the notorious murderers he executed in Britain had been sentenced by Sir William Gorman, one of Wigan's most illustrious citizens, and related to the Massey family of tea merchants of whom we have spoken from time to time. Pierrepoint retired in 1956, so he was not, as is often claimed, the last hangman, but he was the last to hold the official title of Public Executioner. He spent the last few years of his life in Southport, and died there as recently as 1992. If you believe in capital punishment (which I do), then you must accept that the position of hangman is a necessary and honourable one. I like to take a meticulous approach to everything I do, and I would have no problems about doing that particular job.

[Dave]

There are a few things that put me off capital punishment, the first one being that innocent people can be executed and there's no justice in that. The second reason is that execution is too good for some offenders. A bit of dread and a few seconds of pain aren't good enough in terms of a punishment for what they've put others through. Taking away their freedom until they die is better IMO. Of course it doesn't always work like that because many are let out on license, but to get out on license they have to admit responsibility, express remorse, and promise that they'll be good. I guess that I'd be up for execution of somebody who got out and did it again, but it'd have to be a grisly protracted horrible torturous death lasting many months before they'd be finally snuffed.

[Alan]

Ping Pete!

[Voll]

I read Pierrepoint's autobiography many years ago and I remember that, at the end of his career, he opposed the death penalty; not that that his opinion should carry more weight than anyone elses, of course. I found the following on wikithingy:

But Pierrepoint kept his opinions to himself on the topic until his 1974 autobiography, Executioner: Pierrepoint, in which he commented:

"I have come to the conclusion that executions solve nothing, and are only an antiquated relic of a primitive desire for revenge which takes the easy way and hands over the responsibility for revenge to other people...The trouble with the death penalty has always been that nobody wanted it for everybody, but everybody differed about who should get off."

[flybyknight]

Nobody has the right to take or vote away someones life, if I caught 'em I'd kill 'em!