Child discipline

Oops on the quote function.

 

You probably won't see us do anything in public to little Dixiehack in public, save quickmarch him to the family truckster as he throws a hissy fit. But we wait until we have privacy before conducting the come to Jesus meeting. There's just too much potential for nosy strangers to get DHR involved and make life a living hell.

 

No problem Hack, I know you aren't implicating me. I rarely make those damn idle threats. After a few "Knock it off"s, they usually want something. I laugh and say, "When you start acting like a good/big girl, I'll think about it." Usually works with my girls, and I never have to "think about it" because they mind of a child loses all memory of what they wanted anyway.

 

There is no way I ever involve myself in the real-life discipline of other people's kids.

Once I was at the whole foods store, and the lady in front of me was buying half the store. Her kid was in the cart and reaching toward one of the displays. I couldn't reach the items, and there was no way I was touching that kid. So over the display went.

 

You really have to love seeing the chickenhawks line up to tell everyone that the world would be better if more people beat their kids.

At leas they're consistent.

 

two different issues here -- sounds like you didn't want to discipline the kid, but you wanted to grab the kid just to make sure the thing wouldn't fall over but you didn't. i'm with you -- whenever a little kid gets in my way i do a little sidesetp and raise my hands to make sure i never touch them. ever. too much potential for [the same annoying fucking parent who'd probably yell at me for disciplining my kid] to accuse me of something.

that's been my policy ever since i was in an airport in europe a few years back and running on no sleep. my flight was boarding when i got there and the door was seconds from closing. some idiot kid was in my way. giving it no thought, i physically moved him out of my way and continued running to the front of the line. his dad was right behind me and he got in my face telling me he 'didn't like the way you touched my kid.' i just stared at him with a look of death and he backed off but the last thing you want is some overzealous parent accusing you of inappropriately touching his kid. so i guess any touching of a stranger's kid is inappropriate touching.

 

Choices on punishments and disciplines? That's not good.
Children should only be given choices they are capable of making.
I have two teenages sons and when they were younger, they had two choices: do what they were told or incur my wrath.
When she proves more able to make good decisions, let her make more choices, but you still control the available choices.
Now that they're older and have learned to make better decisions, they get more choices.
Children have to earn choices. They are privledges, not rights.
I'm telling you, buddy, if you don't nip this thing in the bud and take charge of the situation, you are going to have one spoiled little princess on your hands who will soon become hell on wheels when she's a teenager.

 

"Well, today's eight-year-olds are tomorrow's teenagers. I say this calls for action and now! Nip it in the bud! First sign of youngsters going wrong, you've got to nip it in the bud."

"I'm going to have a talk with them. What else do you want me to do?"

"Well, don't just mollycoddle them."

"I won't."

"Nip it! You go read any book you ant on the subject of child discipline and you'll find every one of them is in favor of bud-nipping."

 

No, but I am an uncle to six and an "uncle" to 10 more children who belong to my friends. The ones who are well-behaved, who don't talk back to their elders, who obey their parents and don't sass them are the ones whose parents aren't afraid to raise their voices and their hands, if necessary. Every last one of 'em. And the ones who run around like chickens with their heads cut off, who backtalk constantly and who are spoiled brats have parents who come from the "timeout" school. Every last one of 'em.

And considering you like to contradict everything I post, how else am I supposed to interpret your question as anything other than an indictment?

 

Hell yeah ... kids who get smacked are well-behaved ... and perhaps scared, as I honestly spent the better part of my youth, afraid the old man was going to take me over his knee for the slightest misstep. But boy, I never did cause a problem. My dad's son was well behaved, that's for sure. People who spank their kids as a major means of discipline are largely egomaniacs who WANT people to know their kids are in line at the expense of all else, like, for example, raising an emotionally balanced and caring child.

My kid gets popped on the ass on occasion (he's 2), but he also does time in timeout. Neither is totally effective at this point (again, he's 2) but the last thing I want is my kid looking at either of his parents as the boogeyman. Both methods are tools and will be used as best we know how to raise the kid.

But, Lyman, of course your opinion is going to be dismissed by those of us with kids because if you actually had kids of your own you'd know that nothing works every time and the only thing you can do is your best. It's like hitting a curveball ... sometimes you drill it, other times you look silly and get to walk back to he dugout ridiculed by people who have never even tried.

 

When did punishment become an option? This is the way it is. Period.
It's why its called PUNISHMENT, not discomfort....

Dude, it's not a democracy -- its Creoleland... You can continued to be the ruler or be ruled... your choice, your path. Don't choose Path A, then complain she wont listen. She doesn't like it, tough.. EDIT: I read on, glad she "agreed" to your punishment... but its still not an option.

For the record, I have no kids; However, I distinctly recall the summer of my 12th year, when I was grounded six of the 12 weeks -- two at a time -- for various and sundry violations.

 

There's a difference between beating your child and disciplining your child. But maybe you can't understand that.