Babysitter spankings were pretty commonplace in my rural community, when/where I was born and raised. I had several babysitters who spanked me when I deserved it. And, when I was 13+ years old, I was occasionally hired to watch younger kids, and was always told that I slould NOT hesitate to give a proper spanking if the kids were Disrespectful, Disobedient, and/or Dishonest. Often, when working for a new family, the mother would show me where to find her hairbrush and the father would show me where to find his strap.
One time, when I was called upon to watch my parents' churchmates' daughter (she was an only clild – approximately 9.y.o.), the father explained that Cathy was misbehaving in a bad way and needed to be disciplined. He turned to Cathy and said, “Your mother and I have run out of time to deal with your misbehavior. We have to leave now. We are already running late because of you! You will go fetch and peel a riverbank switch for Johnny, and he will correct your misbehavior!” Then he turned to me and said, “Please give her a proper thrashing. Twelve stripes! And, if there is any additional rebellious misbehavior this afternoon or this evening, use the bathrush, the strap, or have her fetch another switch!"
To chime in on this subject, I also babysat when I was in my mid-late teens for a handful of neighborhood kids. A few of the parents we're pro spanking and I did enact it a few times.
@AzureJuniperNYC
@AzureJuniperNYC … when you “enacted” babysitting spankings a few times, were they just one or two swift swats to the seat of the child's pants, with the palm of your hand? Or, did you give full proper spankings, using a hairbrush or other appropriate implement(s), with bared bottoms (pants down, or naked), in proper positions (laying across your lap, bent over a peice of furniture, etc.)?