13 months going on 16 years

Remember when you were 16 and you were getting a lecture from your parents. This is how it usually went for me, "look at me when I am talking to you," says mom or dad, "I am looking at you," says me as I conveniently look just above their eyes in order to not make actual eye contact. Must be maddening for a parent. Well Ada has already perfected this move. I have learned that when I spank her leg, she laughs, yes laughs, so I am trying a new tactic. I tell her, "look at mama," which she is fully capable of doing when she is not in trouble, but somehow, when she is in trouble, she can't remember how to look at mama. Just now, she was trying to touch the fan in her room, which is an obvious no-no. I squatted down, put my hands on both of her arms, and said firmly, "look at mama." She proceeded to literally bend at the waist, with her head straight down at the floor just so she wouldn't have to look at me. The moment of discipline was ruined when I burst out laughing. She then looked straight at me and also laughed. Oh dear. Discipline won't work if I start laughing!! By the way, if she ever does actually look at me when I am disciplining her, she bursts into tears and seems to actually understand the no. I am not giving up spanking her leg, but I am finding the eye contact approach a little more effective.