Author Topic: Birthday spankings in Australia? (Read 790 times)

Sara · « **on:** August 18, 2012, 02:20 PM »

Do Aussies give their children birthday spankings? If not now, did they do it in the past?

Thanks for any help you can give!

Sara

JulieM · « **Reply #1 on:** August 18, 2012, 05:36 PM »

I've never heard of them before and have spent my whole life in Australia. Are they for real?

Hélène Boudreau · « **Reply #2 on:** August 18, 2012, 05:41 PM »

We got good-natured birthday slaps growing up (in Canada), one for every year, and a pinch to grow an inch. Plus, butter on our noses.

Boy, that sounds horrible but it was actually quite fun.

Sara · « **Reply #3 on:** August 18, 2012, 06:30 PM »

Thanks for the reply, Julie. They're just playful--although I think they're more fun for adults than they are for kids. And the tradition seems to be dying out.

I do have a cute story about a girl who weasels her way out of them, but I won't send it to the Australian market I'm thinking of if it's not a tradition there...

yellow_submarine · « **Reply #4 on:** August 18, 2012, 07:16 PM »

I'm Australian and I've never heard of them either, sorry!

JennaWren · « **Reply #5 on:** August 18, 2012, 07:42 PM »

This might have more to do with modern parenting than a particular country's market -- I recall that growing up, being "spanked" for your birthday (in years) was a tradition for my parents (who may or may or not have actually been put across a knee for this fun event), though my parents didn't (neither did any of my friends). BUT it was certainly joked about/alluded to -- and we sometimes got a pat on the tush for every year you've been alive...and, of course a "pinch to grown an inch." But not a true spanking, and probably not past age 6 or so. (For reference, I grew up in southwestern CT, a suburb of New York City.

Hélène -- butter on your nose? OMG, please explain the reason for that tradition!

pilonsc · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2012, 09:34 PM »

I'm in Canada and growing up the teachers used to give "birthday bumps". Basically it's a bump in the Birthday boy's/girl's butt from the teacher's knee. One bump for every year. Ex. If you're turning 8, you get 8 bumps.

It was all in good fun though . I think I made it sound worse than it is. Hmmm... not sure how you make getting kneed in the butt sound good! lol

SarahE · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2012, 03:28 AM »

Another Aussie here and I've never heard of this before.

Sara · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2012, 10:20 AM »

Thanks, Aussies!

PJV · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2012, 01:06 PM »

Must be an American thing, I live in California and we definitely got the spankings and the pinch as well.

Vijaya · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2012, 02:21 PM »

We do the birthday spankings ... never heard about the butter on the nose, but man, I love butter and may I please have it all over?

Vijaya

DonnaE · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2012, 02:30 PM »

Not from Australia - but def had birthday "spankings" as did everyone in our fam. Not a real spanking, but more of a fake/easy pop on the bum for every year of life up to that point... and ONE TO GROW ON!

All in good natured fun.

Another question piggybacking...
How many Aussies have fairy bread for their birthday? (not trying to hijack! Just figured it was in the same vein and I used it in a story and want to make sure I'm right!)

JulieM · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2012, 04:54 PM »

Quote from: DonnaE on August 19, 2012, 02:30 PM

Another question piggybacking...
How many Aussies have fairy bread for their birthday? (not trying to hijack! Just figured it was in the same vein and I used it in a story and want to make sure I'm right!)

Yep, that's a common feature at young children's parties (up to about 6 years old, in my experience - after that it's too "babyish")

jaded747 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 20, 2012, 12:37 AM »

Another Aussie chiming in. I've never heard of birthday spanks, but we definitely had birthday punches--one for every year and another for good luck.

And Fairy bread made regular appearances at birthday parties until I was about 11 or 12.

Greg R. Fishbone · « **Reply #14 on:** August 20, 2012, 07:09 AM »

In Massachusetts we had a gym teacher who used to give birthday spankings, one for good luck, and a pinch to grow an inch--though I never got them myself because my birthday was in the summer. It wouldn't go over well today but kids looked forward to birthday spankings from Mr. D.

Sara · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2012, 09:55 AM »

Quote

Another Aussie chiming in. I've never heard of birthday spanks, but we definitely had birthday punches--one for every year and another for good luck.

Hmmm, birthday punches? Maybe I could change my story. What were the punches like? Not in the nose, right? :lol2

Any other Aussies have punches too?

DonnaE · « **Reply #16 on:** August 20, 2012, 10:14 AM »

Quote from: jaded747 on August 20, 2012, 12:37 AM

Another Aussie chiming in. I've never heard of birthday spanks, but we definitely had birthday punches--one for every year and another for good luck.

And Fairy bread made regular appearances at birthday parties until I was about 11 or 12.

Thank so much! My MC is elementary school age, so he falls into this category. Thanks a ton!

jaded747 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2012, 08:16 PM »

We always gave the punches in the shoulder.

yellow_submarine · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2012, 09:53 PM »

We definitely had fairy bread in Australia growing up (for the sake of nostalgia, I even provided it at my 21st birthday party!)

I've never heard of birthday punches, but we used to do "a pinch and a punch for the first of the month." :biggrin:

jaded747 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2012, 12:42 AM »

Quote from: yellow_submarine on August 20, 2012, 09:53 PM

I've never heard of birthday punches, but we used to do "a pinch and a punch for the first of the month." :biggrin:

Hmm. Maybe it's a regional thing? Or perhaps I came from a violent community!

Beth S · « **Reply #20 on:** August 22, 2012, 10:51 PM »

I'm Aussie! I think I've heard of birthday punches but definitely not spankings. And I think birthday punches (on the arm/shoulder as Jaded said above) was more from your friends/siblings than from parents/adults.

DEFINITELY have fairy bread. In fact, I'm not sure if I've ever been to a kids party without it!

ritajr · « **Reply #21 on:** August 22, 2012, 11:02 PM »

I grew up in NJ and when I was little we got smacked on the butt for each year. Every one did it, family, friends, etc. As I got older we did the punches on the arm, the harder the better. Oh, and as the GIVER of birthday punches, the "pinch to grow and inch" was the best part. LOL.

In today's world that sounds bad, doesn't it? (It was fun back then.)

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Author Topic: Birthday spankings in Australia? (Read 790 times)

jaded747

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