Hello all,
This is my first post on Lushstories. I have been looking around here for a long time, but just registered today. I'm not outspoken, but this one seems worth pitching my 2 cents. I'm recently widowed from the most amazing submissive to ever walk the face of this planet. She made me the Dom/Master/Whatever (We did not use those words. They're meaningless in the constructs of the relationship. She just called me "Daddy".).
Several themes and disagreements have arisen in this thread so far. I agree with the fact that the silent treatment is NOT a good idea. Communication is the most vitally important aspect of a healthy D/s or BDSM relationship. Second, to a true submissive or slave, disappointment is the worst punishment, or penance, imaginable. Physical punishment is marginally useful, especially if you're married to a Masochist. Punishment is also a subjective term. When mine would get bratty, it was usually just to get attention and a thorough bottom-warming. A serious transgression within the confines of our relationship would be grounds for "Punishment".
Punishment isn't always about pain. When you get to know someone, you learn what they really dislike. Nothing that is physically harmful, but that they despise. For us, it was fried chicken liver. She could not STAND the smell of them. When she crossed a line, I would make her cook it for me. Once, I made her eat a piece when she crossed a seriouis line. She never crossed that line again. A pack of frozen livers in the freezer was scarier to her than a bushel of scorpions (Which she was deathly afraid of.).
Proper punishment resides in knowing the person, not having a bag of tricks.
Thanks for listening,
Mike