Adventures in Drool: Do you spank?

In the ongoing spanking debate, maybe we should step back and see what is best for the kids.

Google spanking and you will find tons of articles on both sides of the issues. One side recalls being spanked as children, and they grew up just fine. The other side points to the saying that violence begets violence.

Which side of the debate do you sit on?

I sit on the side of my child. Would he be better or worse from spanking? And, I am sure each child is different, but I am hoping to raise my child with very few spankings. I have noticed that children naturally hit. It is one of the first ways they have to communicate.

While Droolface loves his friend, he still hits her. And, she hits him as well. Just the other day he came home with a red welt on his face – the product of a fight over a ball. The little girl won. Her mother was anxious that I would be angry, and while I was sad that Droolface had a welt, it didn't cause anger because it happens. Kids fight. I think fighting might be an innate human quality – something we are all born with.

Growing up, I was spanked. I probably deserved it. Did it make me better or worse? Well I can tell you that it didn't really make me worse, but it might have made me hit others more than I really needed to.

As a new parent, I vowed I wouldn't hit. But, I have hit my son. He's young, so on a few occasions I swatted his bottom to make a point. Would I do it again? Maybe I would. Often I find that Droolface isn't really paying attention to what we are telling him not to do. He will continue doing it even though he sees us telling him to stop.

Why does he do this? He's a kid and he's testing boundaries. It is not always cause to hit.

If he is hitting someone else and you tell him not to hit, then hit him, what message are you really sending? That it's only OK for parents to hit? Or that hitting is really OK?

I would rather teach him that hitting is against the rules. That way he won't hit and I won't hit. But, in the end, if he knows he is loved, a few spanks won't ruin him.

Food for thought

I often get so caught up in making the main course of our meals, that I forget about side dishes. I recently found two rice products, that make whipping up at least one side a no-brainer.

Uncle Ben's 90-second microwave rice comes in a variety of flavors and is delicious. Also in the frozen aisle, check out Green Giant Steamers. This rice also comes with veggies, as well as plain. Both are amazing and bring rice quickly to the table. Now you just have to throw together a salad or vegetable-centric side.

Here's one that I whipped up over the weekend.

Amazing Red Cabbage Slaw

You Will Need:

Small head red cabbage

½ red onion

½ lime squeezed

Equal parts rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar – about 1 tablespoon each

½ tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon or less extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Pinch or two sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Remove outer leaves and core of red cabbage. Slice into thin strips and place in colander basket to rinse under lukewarm water. Set aside.

2. Using food processor or chopper, finely dice red onion.

3. In small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Olive oil is optional because I don't think you really need it, but if you feel the mixture isn't incorporating well, add just a touch.

4. Taste the sauce. Adjust to taste – you might want to add more vinegar or more honey depending on what you like. Add red onion to the sauce.

5. Toss cabbage into your serving bowl and sprinkle about a pinch of sugar over top. Then add dressing mixture and toss well to coat. Taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour – the longer it sits, the better it is!

My son loved this colorful salad and it is a great way to get red cabbage into your diet. Plus it was quick and easy to whip up during the afternoon while Droolface napped. Then I could focus more on the main dish because I knew my vegetable side was ready to go.

Enjoy!