It happened in my parents home when my firstborn was only two years old, so I was 21. My little girl was a well behaved child, and easily controlled. She always sought to please us. But that day at Grandma's house she did or said something I did not like. I do not even remember the cause of my anger at that moment.
I got down on one knee in front of her, took hold of her by each arm, just above the elbow, and looking into her eyes I told her she was not to do that any more! She promised she would not. End of story!
Not quite! The next day we were playing together at our house, I do not remember the game. But I was on the floor in our living room when I noticed the bruise on her arm. I asked her how she hurt herself. She did not know. Then I saw the bruise on her other arm and realized they were my thumb prints! It was a horrible moment of realization, I had hurt my precious little girl.
The only good thing that came out of that incident was that my wife and I made it our practice to always stop and think of what would be appropriate punishment before taking action. We did not want our emotions to dictate the application of discipline again. I am so glad that moment of remorse was not over something much worse than bruised arms. It is too easy to hurt, abuse a child.
