I’d say when they spanked or yelled at me, they saw it as more of a consequence to whatever I did or said. They weren’t aware of any emotional damage it could inflict on me, though it seemed obvious that I was scared in the moment. Since I would cry or try to run away or talk them out of it. Like I said, it is still different from parents who knowingly strike their kids or starve them or that type of thing.

They didn’t forget how it felt to them when they were yelled at or spanked, because when they used to do it, they’d remind me of how they had it worst as kids. And it seems like they did, since they got yelled at and spanked with shoes or a “switch”. So in their mind, even though their treatment was worse, in the long run it was fine since they turned out fine.