We do not turn out “just fine”.

We do not turn out “just fine”.

When my daughter was about 3, her great grandmother swooped her up and said playfully, “You need a good spanking.” I froze. Those were the threats I grew up with and I never wanted my daughter to hear. My voice shook. “We don’t hit in our family.” I was met with an angered stare. “Then how will she ever learn?” was her gruff response. I stood strong, took my daughter from her and said, “The only thing you learn is that its OK to be hit and its OK to hit someone else.”

Not sure it made an impact on my grandmother, but for me and my daughter it was a moment when (as my friend put it) “You blew your genetic code right out of the water.”

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/17/adrian-peterson-fathers-effect-belt