Spankings or "The Naughty List": The Great Debate (hypothetically speaking)

A few nights before Christmas, Mr. Laura, Mr. Garvey and I were sitting at the kitchen table making ornaments. Mr. Laura brought up the topic of who's nicer Ma and Pa or Santa. With a few questions from me, this started a debate between Mr. Laura and Mr. Garvey.

Mr. Laura: I think Santa is the nicest person in the whole world. Ma and Pa are second.

Ma: What makes Santa so nice?

Mr. Laura: He brings us presents every year.

Ma: What about that naughty list? That doesn't sound too nice.

Mr. Laura: Yeah but he doesn't whip us.

Ma: When is the last time you were spanked*?

Mr. Laura: I don't get spankings.

Mr. Garvey: I think parents are nicer because they only spank you. Santa won't bring you any gifts. That's mean.

Ma: But we've never hit you.

Mr. Garvey: I know, but if you did that would be better than not getting presents.

Mr. Laura: I still think Santa is nicer.

I find it interesting to note their positions in light of their vastly different backgrounds up until the last 18 months. For Mr. Garvey, physical punishment was common and material goods scarce when he lived in Ethiopia. Mr. Garvey is nothing if not careful with his things. He keeps everything organized and becomes upset if he loses or breaks anything. He sees the idea of Santa withholding gifts as unforgivable because he so cherishes everything that is his. On the other hand, Mr. Laura who has grown up in the land-of-plenty (or should I say the land-of-too-much) and scarce physical punishment takes the opposite view. I think he believes that if he were to get on the "naughty list" and not receive gifts that eventually there would be more. He doesn't see his supply of goods threatened or scarce at all. For him, the idea of physical punishment is more unforgivable.

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*In the spirit of full disclosure, Mr. Laura went through a very frustrating phase as a 2 and 3 year old where he would bite Mr. Edwards, often drawing blood. It would not be unusual for Mr. Edwards to have 4 or 5 bite marks on his body at any given time. After many other failed attempts to curb this behavior, I did resort to giving him a pop on his bottom or hand. It was not effective in the least. What finally worked was Mr. Edwards becoming frustrated enough with being Mr. Laura's personal human chew toy that he bit Mr. Laura back. And so ended the biting.