Hey, Mandie. Maybe I'm the one who jumped the gun about the physical abuse issue, since I was the first to respond....Oh, well, we do see things in light of our own issues....

If your parents were spankers/whippers and you see that as physical abuse just in itself, then we might be talking about the magnitude of the physical punishment (corporal punishment). Then there is definitely the subject of emotional abuse. That's what I mainly got--a very critical, non-validating environment. I got some switchings and paddlings, but nothing very extreme.

I also chose not to physically punish my kids and did not give the local schools permission to do so either. (Yes, where I have lived, we were even sent out forms to check "yes" or "no"!) Alas, I did hit a few times out of frustration and anger.....A definite injustice. I always thought it rather silly to have a paddle or whatever implement at home and use it in a calm, rational way. So, I never did.....

Am I more on the right track now?