Never a JW nor any of my family. My heart goes out to each of you for all the abuse that you suffered. My mother was an alcoholic she beat me with anything that was close at hand and cussed me out. By the age of 12 I began playing a different game, I came home when I wanted to, I did what I wanted, I started working and supported myself. She started charging me rent and refused to buy me any clothes. I only came home when I knew she had company that would protect me or she was to drunk to care that I was there. I made sure to clean the house and do all the laundry for her on the weekends while she was at work. We lived like that till I graduated from college. If she attempted to throw a punch, she knew by then I would punch her back.
The long term effects of how I was raised is that I still have a very hard time trusting people.
No, I never hit my children. I could simply look across the room at them catch a glance we would smile at one another and corrective measures would instantly take place. They are two very fine young adults. I have had many compliments that as a single parent I did an outstanding job with my kids, all I can say is I did the opposite of what my mother did and prayed a lot.