more car ride conversations..

Picking Ansley up from school is one of the best parts of my day. I love her hearing her stories. I know it wont be long before I will have to plead for bits of information about her life. Today I know that Aidan brought her diary to school, and that she only played with girls on the playground and that she did not, in fact, buy a pickle today because she thought the barbecue chips looked especially good. 

While riding in the car, she is quiet for minute and then asks, "Why do you  and Daddy not spank us?"

Ummmmm........
So Without getting into the great debate of spanking ( I learned not to talk about that with other parents a LONG time ago) I responded the best I could (translation - I mumbled a lot and said the word "Well" at least 30 times.)

"Well," I said, "Daddy and I never felt like it was the best way to deal with you or Stephen. We just felt like a timeout or restriction worked so we went with that."

To which Ansley replies, " Is a Whoopin the same as a spanking?"

Ummmmm.......

"Yes, I think so" I said.

"Will I ever get a spanking?" she asked.

"Do you think you need one?" I replied. (Answering a question with a question is a trick I learned from my better half WAAAAAY back when he was tutoring me in algebra)

"No, I don't think I do." she said.

So after talking to her for a bit longer, I figure out that playground time today included the swapping of some war stories of who had the best (or worst) spanking and what the transgression was that brought on the "whoopin."

Ansley could not think of a time she had been spanked, so had nothing to contribute to the conversation during social hour on the playground....

"What should I have said?" she asked.

So I used this as an oppurtunity to teach an invaluable life lesson, which is the ability in a social setting to nod, look really interested and say "hmmmmm" and then politely comment on the weather or her plans for the weekend.
I think she is now ready to tackle other taboo topics or religion, politics and whether or not PB&Js should be banned in schools....