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I Was Caned By My Dad

Hard to believe now, but its true. This was 1959 and it was a different universe. I was 17, and allowed to borrow my dad's car (stupid dad). Myself and my best friend were going to meet two girls at a Teacher Training College a few miles away. My friend had just got his licence as well, and I let him drive the last mile or so. The college had an impressive drive way. He swung the car in to impress the girls and hit one of the stone gateposts, crumpling the off-side mudguard and headlight expensively.

My choice was to tell dad the truth or lie that a dog had run in front of me and to avoid it I hit an expensive gatepost. No choice really. I lied.

I expected a caning and that's what I got the same evening when I limped the car home. If anything, the dog excuse increased the penalty.

(My father was a Secondary Modern Headmaster, highly experienced in caning boys bottoms, and brought all his skill to bear on my bare bottom. His displeasure was penetrating.)

A few weeks later he took me to his study at home and asked me to tell him honestly how the car had been damaged. I repeated my dog story.

Big Mistake.

Somehow through his educational contacts, the true story had got back to him.

There was very little discussion, apart from the classic parental "I am very disappointed that a son of mine etc..." He took the cane from the cupboard, and despite the fact that I must have been getting near 18, it never occurred to me for a moment to argue with him and I obediently dropped my trousers and underpants, bent over the desk and took a double caning for lying to him twice. That was my last, and very definitely worst caning.

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Caned4doz · 61-69, M

Hi. Please indulge me for going a little off topic here. I was attracted by your reason for being caned by your dad because I did very much the same thing at the same age. The difference with me was that I 'borrowed' dad's car without his permission while he and mum were out for the afternoon. I scratched the car badly on the gate post when backing out from a mate's place.

I had grand intentions of being upfront with dad when he came home, but when the moment came I chickened out and said nothing. He didn't discover the damage until the next day when we went to Sunday Mass. I denied all knowledge and dad assumed someone must have scratched the car in the church carpark. Two more times I denied any knowledge when asked over the course of a week and I was starting to feel increasingly guilty about my lies, but I had dug the hole deep.

Dad took the car to get petrol and apparently met my mate's father who asked if dad had had the car fixed yet. The truth was out! Dad came home and he was absolutely livid with me. After a long lecture and me finally admitting what had really happened, dad told me to get out of his sight, that he would deal with me later. I knew what that meant and, as much as I was terrified, a small part of me was relieved, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from me.

In my case I wasn't caned, I only got the cane at school, but dad had a leather strap for my punishments and I got a solid dose of with it later that day. Dad told me that what disappointed him more than anything was that I had repeatedly lied rather than be honest. I had been raised to be better than that and he expected me to be better. Like you, even though I was rising 18yo, it never crossed my mind to defy my father. I bared my bottom when instructed and bent over. That was also my last punishment from dad.

For anyone that wants to make a derogatory comment, let me assure you this is a factual account and nothing sexual or indecent about it. Times were very different and corporal punishment in the home and schools was normal, expected and accepted.

HowardP · 80-89, M

@Caned4doz It's always a delight when someone adds to a posting that's nearly 3 years old. That is a superb account, and so typical both of teenage stupidity (however 'clever' we thought we were), and the sort of corporal punishment that was taken for granted in those days. It's good to add to the historical record, and if people doubt the veracity of such punishments, then they are blind to the tidal wave of social changes and attitudes that have taken place in the past fifty years.

Caned4doz · 61-69, M

@HowardP You may have posted your account about 3 years ago, but the content is ageless. I am glad I came across it and was able to relate. I have given up trying to fathom the thinking of some people.

jackcros · 70-79, M

@Caned4doz Those gate posts were the cause of many sore bottoms, we did not have the benefit of reversing cameras and proximity sensors on cars. It does seem strange by today's standards that well into our teens we accepted traditional punishment from our parents. My belting was for carelessly scratching dad’s car, do you think that had you owned up immediately, you would have avoided a strapping?

Caned4doz · 61-69, M

@jackcros Very true about car technology. They were also generally heavier and without power steering. I don’t think I would have avoided the strap had I owned up because I had still taken the car without permission. My plan had been to be out and back before my parents came home. They would never have known, but I didn’t plan on damaging it. Not owning up and then telling bare faced lies just made it so much worse.

I agree about how back then acceptance of parental authority including corporal punishment was normal. I wouldn’t have defied my father anymore than I would jump off a cliff.