You're right, its a tough one even though it should be the most natural thing in the world.
My mother was a strict disciplinarian, her line was 'get to your room and just wait till your father gets home'. She saw herself as the judge and jury, he the executor. He'd get home from work and the first order he'd get coming through the door was to go thrash his children. He'd play along shouting and banging but all he did was hold me and tell me to pretend I was upset and to apologize to my mother. He understood, always has.