Mamma gave _this_ as illustrative of one important rule for punishing a child.
She said we will suppose the boy has thrown a handkerchief onto the floor, I tell him to pick it up, he refuses.

I tell him again, he refuses.

Then I say you must either pick up the handkerchief or have a whipping.

My theory is never to make a child have a whipping and pick up the handkerchief too.

I say "If you do not pick it up, I must punish you," if he doesn't he gets the whipping, but _I_ pick up the handkerchief, if he does he gets no punishment.