These 10 things used to be a substitute for canes in the past

Last Updated on 2016-05-21 , 12:57 pm

How many of us hated the cane? I did. As a child, whenever I did something wrong or failed an exam, I knew what I was going to be subjected to when I got home and I never looked forward to it.

All the ugly red streaks that would not go away for a few days meant only one thing: I would have to go to school showing them off. My mum actually used to think it was funny to get me and my brother to choose the colour of the cane we wanted. Arg.

But do you remember what was used when the cane somehow disappeared or broke?

Feather duster
This hurt like hell. Why? Because the cane part was so thick and the red streaks it left were so much wider than the ones left by a cane. A nightmare.

Belt
It may sound like torture or child abuse but it certainly didn’t seem like it to our parents back then. Mercifully, most belt whips would be targeted at our bums so the battle scars were not so obvious.

Long wooden ruler
I never understood why there would be such a huge ruler in our house. There was no need for one as far as I knew but somehow, it was there. Honestly, I would pick getting smacked by the ruler anytime over the cane. Larger surface area meant lesser pain too and less scarring.

Bamboo pole
You know the ones your mum uses to hang clothes? Yep, that’s what I’m talking about. Never underestimate the strength of a mother when she is pissed off because whacking her child with a bamboo pole was possible. Although, because of its length, you had some time to run away to lessen the impact.

Wooden spatula
Now to say that this did not cause a lot of pain is not true at all. Because it was shorter, and thus easier to handle, a good whack on the bum was enough to cause us to jump. And you had to walk around with a ladle-shaped mark on your ass for about 3 days.

Rolled up newspaper
When a newspaper is unfurled and flimsy, it doesn’t cause any damage. But once it is rolled up into a tight bundle, it’s time for you to run. To cut a long story short, a good, precise whack is enough to hit the breath right out of you.

Fly swatter
The multi-purpose fly swatter that can be used to kill flies and maybe even children. I’m just kidding. This wasn’t painful usually but it still left small marks that would fade really quickly.

Back scratcher
And you thought this was just another harmless apparatus. When mum gets angry, even something as innocent looking as this can become a weapon of mass destruction.

Shoe horn
Made of rather thick plastic, this packed a punch. One good smack and I would be screaming like nobody’s business. I think the shoe horn actually hurt more than the cane.

Toilet pump
Yes, I’m talking about the old school wooden ones. Those really hurt and they are yucky too, considering where they have been. But you know, when you make mum angry, she really doesn’t care even if she flings shit at you, literally.