In her pre-World War II study of the CHamoru people titled “Guam and Its People” anthropologist Laura Thompson described CHamoru values on discipline and punishment for their children. She wrote,

“Parents usually exercise personal authority over their children and their prestige is reinforced by the teachings of the church and by the school.  A sharp line is drawn between right and wrong. If a child fails to obey, he is teased or ridiculed, or he is slapped or whipped with a switch, a stick or leather strap.”

This contrasted with the CHamoru cultural approach to disciplining children described by Fray Juan Pobre when he lived amongst the CHamoru people three centuries earlier in 1602. Pobre wrote that the great love CHamorus felt for their children compelled them to not scold or physically punish them. He said,

“So great is their love for their children that it would take a long time to describe it and to sing its praises. They never spank them, and they even scold them with loving words. When a child is offended and angered by what is done to him, he will move a short distance away from his parents and turn his back to them, not wanting to face them. They will then toss sand or pebbles on the ground behind him, after he has cried for a little while, one of his parents will go to him and, with very tender words, will take him in his arms and or raise him to his shoulders and carry him back to where the others are gathered.”