I could not believe my ears. I listened to the voice at the other end of the phone telling me that my 3 boys Victor, Craig and Robert, were at the police station where they had been taken after being caught with 3 other children stealing sweets from a shop. I told the police officer I would come immediately.
It appeared that one of my boys friends had stolen a bag of sweets. The other children had seen it happen. Victor, my eldest, thinking he could get away with it had also pocketed a tube of smarties. Unknown to any of them the shopkeeper had seen the whole thing which had also been captured by the security camera. Victor thought he had been clever as he had dropped the smarties back onto the shelf when he heard the shopkeeper shout out "stop thief". The shopkeeper had called the police, the police had taken 6 very scared children to the station and now they were all awaiting their parents or guardians to take them home to face the music. I was embarrassed that 3 of my children were there, the other 3 children were all from different families, and I vowed that all my boys would suffer a very severe punishment when we returned home.
The policeman who had dealt with the case had told me everything. He had said that Craig and Robert knew the theft was taking place but themselves had taken nothing. However they had thought of it as a great laugh as both of them were giggling whilst the other boy pocketed the sweets. Victor however had taken smarties which he had replaced when he knew they were about to be stopped. "I didn't take the smarties, dad" Victor had protested. "I didn't have any sweets on me, the policeman searched us all and I didn't have nothing on me". I looked at the police officer who shook his head slightly.
"Victor, you know I will not tolerate lying. I will ask you again, did you take sweets from the shelf ?" I demanded to know. Victor quietly denied any wrongdoing. I looked over at the police officer who got out of his seat and returned with a video tape which he placed in the video player which was in the room. The tape clearly showed Victor taking the smarties and then, later, replacing them when the children were about to be caught. "Not only are you a thief Victor, you are also a liar, the punishment you will receive today will reflect the seriousness of your behaviour". The police officer then issued Victor with a formal caution. Craig and Robert were lectured by the officer about what would happen if they were brought to the station again and 3 very contrite children proceeded, heads bowed, to my car for the journey home. They all knew what they could expect when they returned home and the journey was made in total silence about from some slight weeping sounds and much sniffling.
We arrived home and, once indoors, I decided without further ado to proceed with the discipline which was so thoroughly deserved. "Go to the study and wait for me there" I ordered. The 3 boys trooped, trembling, to the study.
I followed them into the study about 5 minutes later and sat behind my desk. The boys were lined up in front of the desk and I glared at them. They were trembling and sniffing, obviously realising a very severe punishment was on it's way. I began my lecture. "I do not expect to be called to the police station to collect my children. Theft is a very serious matter. You all know stealing is wrong. You also know the consequences of misbehaviour. This however is more serious than misbehaviour this is CRIME." I emphasised the last word by banging my fist down on the desk. Three small boys jumped at the sound of the impact. I ordered Robert, at 9 the youngest, to step forward. "Do you know stealing is wrong Robert ?" The boy nodded. "If you know it is wrong why did you laugh when you saw the boy take the sweets ?"
"I don't know, dad. I'm very very sorry and I'll never do it again".
I then ordered Craig to step forward. Craig was 10,coming on 11,and normally a very confident child but now he was quivering and sniffing. "Do you know stealing is wrong, Craig ?". He nodded firmly. "Then I will ask you the same question I asked Robert, why did you find it funny when the boy stole the sweets".
"I don't know, I really don't. I didn't take anything though, dad. I didn't steal nothing".
"Didn't steal ANYTHING Craig" I corrected him. "It is almost as bad to stand by and do nothing than to commit the crime itself. You saw what was happening and your laughter no doubt encouraged that boy to carry on doing what he did." I then turned to my eldest, Victor. "As for you you little wretch, not only did you steal you tried to lie your way out of it. You are going to learn that if you do something wrong you have to face up to the consequences".
I leaned back in my chair and glared at the 3 scared boys. "You know the rules of this house, this behaviour today is extremely serious. When I punished you before Victor I used the cane. However what you all did today is far more serious than normal boy's naughtiness. You will all receive a severe whipping. Strip naked".
3 pairs of moist eyes stared back at me as the boys began slowly removing their clothes, t shirts, socks and shorts. Victor had been caned by me before but for the other 2 this was the first time they had experienced punishment at my hands. Craig and Robert stopped after taking off their shorts and stood facing me clad only in small black briefs. Victor however knew when I said naked I meant naked and began to peel off his red briefs. Seeing this the other 2 did the same and finally 3 naked boys stood before my desk as I scowled at them. I rose and went to the cupboard behind me and withdrew the horsewhip which had been placed there for this very purpose. I sat down again and, still glowering at the boys began flexing the whip. I began the lecture I had decided to deliver before administering the punishment.
"Robert you are the youngest and therefore you should have been set a better example by your older brothers. However you know theft is wrong and you saw it take place. You could have walked away or you could have told the boy to put the sweets back., instead you thought it was funny and you laughed. We will see if you still think it is funny after your thrashing. You will receive 10 strokes. Bend over the armchair"
Robert walked to the leather armchair situated in the centre of the room and bent over one arm with his hands held out holding onto the other. I stood above him and said "you will stay in that position until I order you to get up. You will not put your hand across your bottom or try to stop the punishment. If you do I will double the number of strokes you will receive. Is that clear ?" Robert tearfully nodded that he understood and I began the methodical whipping of the 9 year old's backside. After each stroke Robert jumped slightly and yelped with pain. After each lash I waited for him to compose himself before administering the next. Consequently the punishment was not completed for about 2 minutes as the break between strokes was quite long. Finally however, the 10 strokes completed, I ordered Robert to go and stand naked in the corner. "Craig, you are next" I barked and the 10 year old stepped forward.
"You also could have told the boy to put back the sweets or walked away and not been involved. You could also have shown a better example to your younger brother and led him away. However like Robert you simply laughed. Because you are older than Robert and because you should have shown a better example you will receive 16 strokes. Bend over the chair." Craig tearfully draped himself across the chair and I repeated the warning about staying in position for the duration of the whipping. Like his brother had before Craig yelled out and jumped when the whip made contact with his bottom but he manfully managed to stay down. Because he received more than Robert the punishment lasted longer. After stroke 12 Craig was sobbing uncontrollably and so the wait for him to regain composure was greater, but, after about 3 and a half minutes his thrashing was over and I sent him to join his younger brother in the corner.
I now turned my attention to Victor. Victor was terrified. He had reasoned that as he was the eldest he was going to get more than his brothers and Craig had been given 16 so how many would he get, he wondered.
"Victor, you have behaved disgracefully today. You have led your brothers into a situation which you should have avoided. You have stolen. And you have LIED to try to avoid some of the consequences. The punishment I intend to administer is a punishment for all these things. You will receive 30 strokes, bend over the chair."
Victor burst into tears and fell to the floor pleading for mercy. He grasped my legs and begged me to reconsider his punishment. I was unmoved. "You should have thought of the consequences when you stole. Get up and bend over the chair NOW or I shall give you an additional 10 for disobedience." This threat worked and the weeping child bent over the chair, dug his finger nails into the soft leather, and waited for the first stroke of what would be the most painful experience of his young life.
Because of the severity of Victor's punishment and the desire on my part to ensure the child was allowed some time to compose himself between strokes this punishment took over 10 minutes to complete. Victor had handled the first dozen well, crying out loudly but staying firmly in position over the chair. After 12 though each stroke caused him to jump and wail more loudly and I felt it necessary to wait a little longer between strokes to ensure each one had maximum impact. Consequently it had taken in excess of ten minutes from start to finish. After I finished Victor joined his 2 siblings in the corner.
I replaced the horsewhip and sat at my desk reading. After about an hour I decided the boys could vacate the corner and so I called them to face me in front of the desk. "Have you learned your lesson today ?" I asked. 3 tear stained faces looked back at me and nodded vigorously. "Very well, get out and don't let me see you back in the study again" I said and three naked boys scooped up their clothes and proceeded to their bedroom.