Sparing the Rod

In response to something on Philocrites about "Sparing the Rod and Spoiling the Child."

The way we use the word "spoil" linguistically has shifted so much to mean "shower someone with unearned gifts" that when I was a kid, I assumed "spare the rod and spoil the child," was an instruction, not a warning.

Thus little CC thought that it meant "Don't spank your kids, just shower them with presents" and was fully in favor of it.

I was AT LEAST twelve before I figured out the intended meaning.

CC
who prefers it her way to this day