I'll show you how it's done!

I'd been invited to my cousins birthday party and as usual, my mum insisted I be on my best behaviour. Being a nine year old boy I said I would be, but in reality I took every opportunity to act the fool, tease the girls and play fight with the boys regardless of whether they wanted to or not. I'd gone too far and made a few of the other children cry by flicking cake and jelly at them using a plastic spoon. Mum grabbed my arm and smacked me as hard as she could on the back of my legs, however, this did little to calm my boisterous mood. Mum went to hit me again but Aunt Susan intervened saying, “Hitting a child will only make them worse, I'll show you how it's done.”

Please do!” Replied Mum, “I'm at the end of my tether with him I really am!” She added as Aunt Susan grabbed my arm and led me up the stairs, followed by my mother.

What are you doing?” I shouted as I tried to struggle free.

We're going to calm you down, then you can rejoin the party.” Aunt Susan replied as she opened the spare bedroom door and led me inside. “If you don't calm down, you don't rejoin the party, do you understand?”

I was a little afraid of her at this point, mainly because she was so calm, I nodded.