On D.J. as background mom, fanfiction challenge, etc.

[DTF955]

Sorry this is so long and wordy, but this represents discussion held off and on over a year on varying timelines with a couple friends who are also fans of Full House on how D.J. reacted, punished, etc. in the TV Universe (because numerous things wouldn't have gotten better otherwise). And, if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.

I wanted to say thanks and also provide you with a well-thought out challenge. Becasue thinking about things is important so we are not too rash, and it's important to show grace and mercy so children know how to do that. However, Michelle's attitude was a problem. It is also something which was solved, but by bit, and that could only be because of D.J.. And if you read through, you will see times where Michelle was surely punished, by D.J. and may have even been spanked by D.J..

First,thanks so much for your prayers. I could feel someone praying for me, and I imagine some of you did from this board. The message really spoke to my heart. I'm always getting more comfortable, at least; after all, I said I imagined Michelle may well have been spanked, and the way I used to be before Junior High that would have caused me no problem, but I'm still recovering fromt he turmoil, and being able to say that comfortably is a miracle. I know D.J. would have done it in love.

However, I have ought against some of the attitudes on this board, and this is why I've offered this challenge. That you write a fanfiction where you show how D.J. does work in the background, for it's clear we don't see everything between scenes, let alone between episodes.

However, this must be without any malice, anger, hatred, or other emotions on your part. If you write a piece wherein D.J. does discipline Michelle, sure, she might be mad, but she'll also still be showing love. She (and Steph) would never do it out of enjoyment, whereas some mean people get pleasure out of punishing. (Sure, D.J. can take satisfaction in it, but that's not the same as making it a thing of pleasure.) It also cannot have any hint of animosity at the Olsen twins, and I do sense people talking about Michelle and their dislike of her because of the actresses who played them; that is bad writing and just plain wrong,a nd has gotten people banned from a couple message boards I've seen, it's been so vitrolic.

However, here is how I think this can work, and you can get satisfaction even out of writing a story in which D.J. gives not just a fwap as she normally would, but one where she "spanks Michellegood," though as I said she wouldn't go overboard. It wouldn't sting bad for more than half a minute, and would be a one-time thing, but as we'll see, that would be enough to make Michelle start being really good and staying that way. Maybe it'd sting for a minute or (if she's older, like 6.5 or more) two if it's in the alternate I will mention.

But, let me start at the beginning.

Michelle would have been way more wild had she not been punished at all before age 3.9. The difference is in the TVU, D.J. merely reacts - we see that easily in this fact, but also elsewhere. However, in the Book Unvierse, w/Jesse on the 3rd floro and D.J. the one Michelle goes to all the time in the AM as a toddler/prechooler, among other times, she can mold Michelle so Michelle hardly ever has those times, or at least only has brief times which are like Stephanie or D.J. when little; D.J.'s the "mom." Michelle takes after her int he BU.

The TVU is different, though, as for just one example Michelle's never been sent to the principal in the Bu. But, Joey wouldn't send her either even in TVU, right? That's not in character, in "To Joey, With Love." So why does he? Joey knows Steph was almsot as bad, though not for as long, in getting laughs w/his many glasses in "O'ld Brown Eyes." So why did he take the extreme step here?

Well, while she didn't get hit, Joey probably knew it could get to the point of that being threatened if he didn't clamp down right away. Michelle would expect him to just talk, like Danny. The shock of even being sent is what D.J. and Stephanie (as principal's aide) likely did at home & school (with Steph handling it at school) to ensure she didn't get rebellious enough to need the ultimate. Joey likely wanted to protect her from herself at this point.

So, at 3.9 we see D.J. greatly relieved. "Nail her, Dad,' she says, knowing that a timeout on her bed of about five minutes, maybe 10 by now, will work (and it does later, too, unless Michelle refuses to take it), and thinking that her days of correcting thigns are done. Then, she sees that Danny still isn't doing everything he can. There's the whole attitude that she doesn't have to control her actions or her words. At this point, D.J. has been trying to get her to say things nicely and not letting her do anything till she responds nicely instead of saying "duh." But, after a few months, Michelle realizes she's still Daddys' little princess who can do anything when it comes to that attitude. That is when D.J. would start to react even more.

It's that reacting that leads her to overreact at other times. And also leads her to believe that Michelle is becoming like Jesse.

So, let's say Danny puts Michelle in her room for timeout for the chocoate caper; he likely did, we just don't see it. But, D.J. would likely also take away dessert for a few days; remember that Michelle loves dessert. That's a BIG punishment for her. She knows to listen to D.J., but if she she gets too sneaky, D.J. may have to give her a very loud lecture. I doubt she'd spank Michelle yet, but have you noticed that she does cut down on that attitude some by this age. It comes and goes, but still goes a bit more when she turns four.

And, I can see Michelle sneaking something she's been grounded from, which would really make D.J. fume, and yell. Though she'd make herself calm down if she ever planned to spank on purpose.

However, please keep in mind that in "Easy Rider," Michelle is so scared of getting hurt she puts all these pads on to ride her bike. And then, Michelle is by Joey the disinfectant he sprays on will only hurt a little, and then it hurts "a lot." That stung for what, maybe15-20 seconds. If D.J. tells her that if she doesn't behave, she will find her bottom hurting a lot, that means just one fwap. And Michelle will listen.

So, what's the point? If Michelle's differentiating here, she has likely experienced both hurts,a nd it might well be that D.J. has spanked her. It's been mild, but that is enough for Michelle. She needs to know her limits, but it's quite possible that one or two times, when Danny wouldn't do anything, that Michelle would battle D.J. enough that D.J. eventually spanks her.

When? Well, remember that D.J.'s tricky herself. She can trick Michelle into havig to do her chores and then save those days or weeks of chores in reserve for when Michelle's really been naughty; it's a great punishment that Danny woud likely accept.d.J. can also put Michelle in a chair int he corner, as is done if she won't go to bed ("Crimes and Michelle's Misdemeanor") and hold her there yet, at only 4-5.

So, it has to be a time when Michelle is testing D.J. a lot. Do we have evidence there is such a time?

Yes. In "Take My Sister, Please," it's been mostly edited out, but D.J. gives Michelle a very harsh look, and Michelle looks very sad and downcast, after saying "duh" to D.J.. Please note that this is almost the last "duh" Michelle ever says. I postulate in fanfiction a good tongue-lashing from Stephanie after Michelle says it to a teacher, but it could well be that D.J. spanks Michelle, or at least threatens to, sometime over that summer, that threat or spanking coming right after, int he midst of a battle, Michelle utters that sassy "duh" to her.

Or, you could have her getting threatened, and then getting spanked soon after she turns five. Remember that she says "duhhuh" to Uncle Jessse the episode before that, but never after to anyone but Aaeron in "Girls Will be Boys." So, it gets better; if D.J. wasn't doing something, it couldn't have gotten better. And, sure, Michelle might sound a little smug at age 7 or 8, that's the Uncle Jesse coming through again, but once more, she's learned her lesson. And, she could be smug because, hey, she knows how to be good now, she not the kind of girl who needs disciplined so harshly like she was when younger.

As stated, D.J. doesn't always have to think of spanking, she's very creative; the chores and other stuff are things a good writer and reviewer should use. But, there are yet a couple other times when you can have D.J. really getting tough on Michelle in a story, and when you can be satisfied she did.

First, she may well have had a major bout of disobedience even before "The Devil Made Me Do it," as she is sent to her roomt he whole day, much longer thant he normal timeout Danny would give. Indeed, you coudl argue that Danny rects this way out of protection, just like when Joey sends Michelle to the principal's office. Has D.J. been forced to be really tough here? Who knows.

However, the point is that she then, at the start of season six, has a couple times when she just refuses to obey simple instructions. I can see Stephanie having to take care of this at school and really lecturing hard, or D.J. having to at home. Michelle doesn't do this again, though. Again, she would if the adults were the only ones involved in discipline, as they did let her get away with it. But, not D.J..

Second, Disneyworld was jsut part of a few months of bad behavior. She wouldn't accept her punishment in "Silence is Not Golden," and we learn the adults would never hit there. Then, Danny totally blames Jesse and lets her off the hook in "Please Don't Touch the Dinosaur," letting her obviously be tempted to be even sneakier and bolder. Danny only plans to talk about her wandering then.

Of course, she not only would have D.J. on her case before, but for 3 solid weeks at camp D.J. is the mom. She lets her take that rabbit home, but that grin on her face shows she knows Danny would say "no," and if D.J. had any doubt she would have stopped Michelle. Again, she kept having to react.

But, how tough did D.J. have to be? Well, if Michelle got wild enough, maybe really tough.

It's possible soemone jokingly hit an object and said "bad" in front of the boys; quite possible. Nicky and Alex must pick this up from somewhere - one of the twins when they dislike their new beds says what sounds like "bad bed" and hits it. They don't get treated like that, so where would they pick that up? Possibly the joking action like that, but possibly, too, from D.J. talking about her hand talking to Michelle's bottom, or even seeing her do it.

Also, in "Another Opening, Another No Show," the first song of the "other" REM is about whipiing a guy into shape. All the others are enjoying the beat of the music, and clapping loudly, but despite how loud it is, Michelle is looking down w/eyes closed. And yet a few minutes later she's up and dancing the the next song.

Was she dozing on those lines "whip him, whip h im good"? Or was she thinking of D.J. at least threatening to spank her and spank her good? Did D.J. actually have to do that? Or, was it enough for D.J. to tell the staff at camp that any problems with Michelle, they were to take her to D.J. and she'd deal with Michelle personally; and if need be, physically?

Well, except for normal, kid-like things, and "A House Divided," which is probably not TV canon, but a dream, as that's how off it was (no mor than one bathroom when every other ep. Has at least 2, perhaps 3 or more later, no thought of Pam, which would keep Danny from selling at all normally) - there are no spurts of misbehavior at all. Ever again. She wanders , I guess that's something, but for Michelle to go 2 years with only the Joey thing, that's the sign that D.J. not only was tough on michelle that spring and summer through camp, but guess what? D.J. was also loving, merciful, and compassionate.

Because you see, Michelle has the right attitude in "Breaking Away" - saying how nice she has it to Steph,a nd "don't rock the boat." Something changed her. D.J.'s tough talks, her revoking privileges, or if you want to think of it happening that way, her hand that finally got Michelle ont he right track. One thing's for sure, Michelle loved to be good by then, so even when she was bad, she knew D.J. cared. And if D.J. did "spank her good," they cried together for several minutes, becuase it would brak both their hearts. Michelle from the half minute of sharp pain and the fact D.J. had had to hurt her, and how bad she'd been. D.J. crying because all that frustartion was being released. That's when it would most likely come, although I would certainly not argue much if sometone had the same kind of loving discipline done when Michelle was 4-5 and D.J. simply threatening it that summer.

But wait, you say? What's that alternate where Michelle might get spanked more than a fwap a couple times, and *possibly* one mild spanking across D.J.'s knee like mentioned in the above paragraph?

Well, Michelle would still be pretty sensitive and not need a really harsh one, but maybe mroe reaction fwaps from D.J., and maybe a couple times one that stung for a couple minutes, if she really got like Jesse. I'm talking about if Danny doesn't start punishing Michelle at all in "Crimes and Michelle's Misdemeanor." If he doesn't have the wet shoe, it's possible. Then he'd see himself as more a failure, and if and when he started, it would be a lot tougher on D.J. b/c he'd be even mroe inconsistent.

However, let's not be too rough on Danny, either, but full of grace. For he was more heartbroken than he let on after Pam died, and the best thing would have been for D.J. to be proactive, and ease Danny into the thought of disciplining Michelle, so it didn't have to get that tough.

Instead, he let Michelle become like Uncle Jesse. However, at least D.J. was around to react, if she wasn't proactive. And maybe Steph even gave her a little fwap. So many things - Michelle running away in "The Devil Made Me Do it," her school wildness, the really bad attitude, etc. - don't happen int the book unvierse, and if you're like me, mabye you prefer to focus on that so you don't have to think of the wilder Michelle.

But like those very rare times in the comics I'd read when little, I'm comofrtable saying Michelle might have been spanked. Just as I would have when little. And, if you post a fic where D.J. does disciline like that out of love, on faifiction.net, I would be mroe than happy to give it a good review if it contains no bitterness, no pleasure in seeing it happen, and right levels of grace and mercy as befitting this loving family.

Thanks for putting up with this long and rambling, well, term paper is more like it :-) I hope it's inspired you to consider the intricacies of our favorite show a little mroe,a nd also perhaps to undestand the characters, the history, and possible alternate history, too.

This is the last I will say on this subject, and I'll be too busy to come back to this board, though I encourage you all to consider writing fics witht hat kind of Tanner-style love and compassion.. I did want to come back b/c I felt some of you might be concerned about me, but also to challenge you to work in grace and in mercy, and to see the background which other fans have seen.

[Somebody252]

Cool stuff. I've got one up on the general fan fiction part of sitcomsonline, but Michelle only gets a fwap that she calls a spanking,a nd Uncle Jesse talks her into beign good so she can convince D.J. she doesn't need it harder. I don't think D.J. would have to do it, Michelel's pretty docile when it comes down to it. She just needs told very firm rules.