Who will bail me out?

Rejoice! And again I say "rejoice!"
Sleep is a wonderful thing.
Last night, I told the children that I was going to bed, and thereby off-duty. They needed to lock up, feed dogs, and see about getting themselves to bed. Maybe they did, maybe not. The house was in one piece this morning, either way.
If I could sleep 8-10 hours every night, I would be the most glorious person you every met. I would be cheerful, self-controlled, and energetic. You would hate me.

I had a conversation yesterday with someone I've never met. He was interviewing me over the phone for the job of babysitting his son. He asked me what I would do if his son didn't do what he was told. I explained that I was not real concerned about that since the child is 9 months old. The greatest discipline I could imagine would be smacking his hand if he reached for an outlet. So, he asked how I would discipline him as he got older.
Now, this really seems like a no brainer to me. If he defies me, I'll smack his sweet little diaper. Duh. The dad said that they really hadn't decided how they feel about that, and had I considered alternatives for discipline? My inner thought was, "Yeah, the alternative is that I smack the bottom without the diaper, or I smack the hand."

Smacking seems effective. Spanking is an art. My parents set a fantastic example for this kind of discipline. (Am I going to be arrested for discussing this?)

When I deliberately disobeyed my mother, she would send me to her room. There I had to quake in anticipation of her arrival. When she showed up, she would ask what me to explain what I had done wrong. Usually, I was pretty clear on that. Then she would bend me over her lap and smack my bum with a wooden spoon. Then she would hug me, and love on me, until my tears were gone. She'd explain that she was spanking me to train me not to disobey. That God tells her to do that, and that God disciplines those He loves.
My mother never, ever beat me. She never hit me because she wanted to vent her anger. In fact, I remember her frequently using that maternal cliche, "This hurts me more than it hurts you."
And you know what? I obeyed. She was consistent and strict. Her reward for that was a daughter who respected her directives, and was rarely a burden of bad behavior.
Fast forward to now.
I have followed my mother's example. It works. Both of my boys are absolutely secure in my love for them. They are likewise certain that bad behavior will be dealt with consistently and respectfully. They don't disobey much.
Speaking of the respect part, I think this is crucial. My children are never disciplined in front of others. The only thing others hear me say is, "Go to my room, please."
I know some parents who yell at their children in front of others, they demean and berate. They threaten and insult in an effort to coerce their kids into obedience. It doesn't work. The children hate their parents for it, and the parents lose all control. Everyone loses. Plus, it's downright embarrassing to watch.
The boys and I were talking about discipline yesterday. We were noting how babies don't need that kind of behavior modification. I think the reason is that they learn to receive care and love first. This builds incredible trust. It's only within a relationship of incredible trust that discipline is effective.
The reason children misbehave is that they can. They are allowed to. If you don't want them to be bad....don't allow it.
Respect, trust, love...and good, consistent spanking.