[sammyg2]

Just a couple of many:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I remember one time when I was young and was acting up at the dinner table. My mother told me to stop but I ignored her and continued. Dad said "that's enough".

For some reason, I decided to call his bluff and test the lines to see just how much I could get away with. IOW I continued my shenanigans in defiance.

Dad had a butter knife in his hand and flipped it around so the blade was in his hand, and gently reached over and thumped me on top of the head with the handle. He then calmly continued with his meal.

That got my attention to say the least (hurt like heck), and he never had to use physical discipline with me again.
That was a very valuable lesson that I am thankful for and a better person as a result.

I don't recall ever swatting either of my kids, but certainly would have if it were deemed necessary. Usually just a glance was enough. A few times I may have raised my voice.

Originally Posted by sammyg2

When I was a kid I was always in my dad's tools and ended up scattering or loosing many of them. He tried to be patient and teach me to be careful and put things away but I wasn't good at that back then.
Same with my younger brother. that's how I learned to cuss, listening to dad trying to find one of his tools.

By the time we moved out, his tools were in somewhat of a shambles. He could still manage to get the odd job completed but had to improvise sometimes.
So as I got older I decided to correct that.
I started buying him tools. Good tools, complete sets, tool boxes, more than he would ever need. Many thousands of dollars worth. Christmas, birthdays, whenever I saw something on sale. That went on for a long time.

He passed on last year and when I was there I saw the tools, many of them still in the original packaging having never never used.
I noticed that i had lost track and doubled-up on a lot of them and he had many duplicates. But he kept every one.

Hopefully one of my brothers will want the tools or mom will sell them for what she can get.
I don't think I'd feel good having them. I'd prolly have to donate them.