General Discussion

At least they didn't "box your ears." No, I didn't endure that either, but both my mother and her mother did. My grandmother was in her late 50's when I was born, and I don't remember her not being severely hearing impaired. My mother was a little older when the severe hearing loss started, but by the time she passed away at 93, her hearing loss was rated at 90% - with hearing aids. Neither of them ever laid a hand on me as punishment. My mother's method of correction was to reason with me - in other words, to hold up a metaphorical mirror so I could see why whatever it was I had done was wrong. Oh, man, could that be painful - not physically of course. I did eventually learn that being able to look inside oneself saves a lot of grief in the long run. I think it helped. Many times as an adult people I worked with or socialized with were surprised to learn that I was an only child - because I "didn't act like one."