Recap: MBS Sunday Brunch for Sept 30

Our brunch topic this week was counting swats. Here are your observations.

Prefectdt: Yes, I have counted stokes, but I do not like doing this. My mind has other things to concentrate on. If the spanker counts the strokes, I find this adds to the experience.

Jean Marie: I'm often made to count my strokes when it's punishment. It keeps me focused on the punishment instead of my arousal or how masterfully K is disciplining me. When he's through, it comes as a surprise how much I'm turned-on or how red and hot my backside has become. It sometimes feels like a burden because I can't float away on the experience. It keeps me grounded because, when I messed up in the past, the count had to begin again from zero. This has become an unspoken competition between us when I'm being caned. Can I keep my head while he's ravaging my rump? Will I end up getting just the prescribed ten licks, or will my dose of medicine be doubled for my own good?

Like punishment itself, I love and hate having to count.

Naughtybuttcute: I have never had to count my own strokes. I'm not sure if I could. They'd come out one part moan, one part cuss word, and one part numeral.

For one particularly bad punishment in which I received 80 whacks with a wooden spoon, my husband counted out loud. It was very different knowing when the spanking would end. I think it made it less terrifying. And despite the high number of whacks, it was slightly easier to take.

I don't think I would use counting if I were the Dom. I think unpredictability is one of the things that gives them their power.

D: When we first started spanking, we never counted the swats. Now it is an important part of the ritual. It also gives us a target to see how many I have received. Sometimes I count and sometimes S counts. It adds to the fun for us.

Galros: I hated having to count - especially since it normally meant extra when I lost track or missed one. It just seemed like above and beyond the call of duty for me!

In saying that, we never counted in play. Maybe that was part of it. It was exceptionally difficult to concentrate on counting as well as absorbing the pain and maintaining position!

Pagan: We never count strokes. He just spanks me until we're done.

Like corner time, this is something I had never heard of or considered before becoming aware of the “community.”

It would feel contrived to me, and would serve as a distraction, not an enhancement. For that reason, I have no interest in going there. :)

Luna: I have posted my reply to your brunch topic on my blog.

Dove: I do not have to count and I'm not sure if ML would think of it, not yet anyway. If he added it later as part of a roleplay, then I would go along with it as I can imagine it would work for that situation. In general, though, due to erotic nature of our spanking adventures, I don't know how clearly he would get the count anyway.

Erik: I've not asked my other half to count yet. She's not sufficiently into the roleplay for that. I like the idea of it though.

Caylee: Normally, he'll just spank me until he feels I've gotten a good bottom-warming. I agree with what's been said by a couple of people. Not having a clear end point certainly adds to the whole experience.

With that said, James always has me count if we're doing a scene like schoolgirl/headmaster or for a punishment spanking for a very serious infraction. For these spankings, he normally uses the cane or tawse and follows a very formal ritual. Since those implements, specifically the cane, are so severe that I can't take a whole bunch, I count to add to the weight of the spanking.

PK: I have been told to count a very few times. I don't like to count out loud because I too find that distracting. But I often count in my head. I think I would like him to count once in a while.

Lucy: I've never had to count strokes, but I've counted them in my head, especially when he tells me how many strokes in advance. To be honest, I'm not sure if I could do it...

Paige: The spankings I get are completely sensual and not disciplinary at all, unless my hubby and I are roleplaying. But yes, we've counted spanks. I think it's really fun!

Jujubees: I hate to count the strokes! I think that about covers it. However, I've heard that sometimes we love that which we say we hate. So, maybe somewhere deep down I secretly like it. NO, now that I think about it, I really don't think so.

Paul: Yes, we started off by counting punishment spankings, but Mel found it very hard to count accurately and she hated it anyway. As punishment spanking became rarer, she was told how many strokes of the cane or tawse she had earned and I counted.

In the last twenty-five or so years, the only times she counted were during birthday and anniversary spankings. But during those, there was so much giggling and laughter that I doubt that the count was accurate.

As the vast majority of our spankings were very erotic, she wouldn't have been able to count.

Hermione: Our play is neither formal nor ritualized, and never for punishment. Nor do we do roleplay. So up until now, neither of us has ever counted. I am quite content to lose myself in the erotic sensations, and if I had to count out loud, I would turn into an observer. I'm curious to know how many I get, and sometimes plan to count them silently, but somehow I always get distracted!

Counting might be helpful, though, as a way to ask my husband to spank me longer and/or harder. He is OK with my asking, and I think that saying "Six more, hard as you can" would give me what I need without breaking the spell. Counting those might be fun for both of us.

If I can find the courage to ask for a birthday spanking, there would be extensive counting involved!

Mary: We have often used counting. We definitely count with a “one, thank you sir” with each stroke of the cane! It does seem to add to the ominous feel of the situation. It also seems to add insult to injury, quite literally!

We also count strokes with other implements. Sometimes, he tells me to count, either out loud or in my head. It is hard to be accurate when it stings so badly. If I am off, he does things like starting over. Other times, he tells me how many I will get and then does all the counting on his own. At times, I try to count along. Other times, I just trust him to count accurately. There are times when counting adds to the spirit of the “punishment.” But other times, it is distracting. I can sometimes focus on the counting and "get through" the spanking easier knowing when it will end. In those times, he would actually be wiser to not tell me so that I focus only on the moment (since that would be harder, though I can't say I actually have told him this.)

Brat Scorcher: I firmly believe the naughty girl must always thank me for every stroke.

But I am not a proponent of counting, or making her keep track. As others have said, the naughty girl's mind should be on what a bad girl she has been and why she is being punished, and not mathematics.

Young Lady: I just posted on this topic with an entry entitled Count Your Blessings.

Carye: Yes, we do incorporate counting into our spankings. This is especially true for diet spanking where I get one swat for each ounce gained. We also spank without counting. I enjoy both ways.

Bonnie: We count sometimes. It’s generally as a part of a roleplay or ritual. To me, counting can add to the feel of a scene and intensify the emotions generated.

No matter who keeps the count, the actual number of strokes delivered is almost always higher than the announced goal. If he counts, he “accidentally” adds some extras. When I count, I tend to lost focus (and count) as soon as an implement strikes my bottom!

As you can see, we collected a wide range of responses. Thanks again to everyone who participated.

Keywords: spanking, counting swats, spanking ritual, My Bottom Smarts, spanko brunch