Admiral_Snackbar
Veni, vidi, Lionel Richie
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Not to make this a "spank/not-spank" discussion, but as someone who has walked away from a tantruming child (always staying within visual range), it does raise the issue of how far would a parent go these days? I've had to leave a cartfull of items in the store, throw my kid under my arm like a rolled up sleeping bag and taken them to the car, screaming and flailing the whole way. At that point I never saw the use of corporal punishment; just ignore the child long enough and they will come out of whatever apoplexy they are in.
The editor makes a good point, parents who don't discipline in front of the public or other parents give that child the impression that their behavior is acceptable and if nothing else, a recognition of their 'power' in the family.
I just fear we've lost something in terms of parental responsibility, and the understanding that sometimes our precious snowflake needs a good whack on the ass with a pizza spatula to get the point across. Worked for my dad, worked for me, works (to an extent) with my kids.
This week, a mother of two daughters, 10 and 12, was arrested for allegedly abandoning her children in the business district of Scarsdale, 3 miles away from their home. After the two daughters were bickering in the back seat, Madlyn Primoff had enough. She pulled over and told the girls to get out of the car, and proceeded to drive away. The 12 year old caught up with the mother, but the 10 year old was left alone. A successful attorney, Madlyn is now confronted with authorities and the public questioning her parenting skills.
The editorial goes on to talk about discipline. While I think the mother went a bit far leaving a kid alone on the road, it does speak to some serious parental responsibility issues. This is not our Grandparent's America, not even my Parent's America--those halcyon days when I could bike 10 miles all over town, be gone for 8 hours with nary a cell phone or a quarter for a payphone and my parents never even got suspicious of or concerned for my safety.
Not to make this a "spank/not-spank" discussion, but as someone who has walked away from a tantruming child (always staying within visual range), it does raise the issue of how far would a parent go these days? I've had to leave a cartfull of items in the store, throw my kid under my arm like a rolled up sleeping bag and taken them to the car, screaming and flailing the whole way. At that point I never saw the use of corporal punishment; just ignore the child long enough and they will come out of whatever apoplexy they are in.
The editor makes a good point, parents who don't discipline in front of the public or other parents give that child the impression that their behavior is acceptable and if nothing else, a recognition of their 'power' in the family.
I just fear we've lost something in terms of parental responsibility, and the understanding that sometimes our precious snowflake needs a good whack on the ass with a pizza spatula to get the point across. Worked for my dad, worked for me, works (to an extent) with my kids.
