Good Parenting

[Vyk]

I am sadistically amused. And it said in the link the kid kicked the stereo not because of something the parents did, but because they wouldn't give him the x-box early. He threw a tantrum. He's a brat. But I'm biased. I can't sympathize with a regular kid, let alone a whiney bratty one. Realistically, ruining the kid's christmas might be a little traumatic. But for that sadistic pleasure I think I'd like to see it video taped. Show that to kids that misbehave, and make them question their motives. They might behave better. And no beatings involved.

[Mittopotahis]

I think that is taking it a bit too far. If he is being a little bugger, deal with it. don't give it to him, he has to wait for Christmas. If he damaged the sound system, take it back. If it works fine, maybe play a prank or something, so he is sad for about an hour or so. replacing it with charcoal is just plain mean. I know i would be so angry if i found charcoal, and probably cry (coming from a 15 year old guy). But then i would just buy it with my own money a month later. No harm done.

But I question how real it is. No one has a heart that little.

[DarkLadyNyara]

I know well the difference between abuse and physical discipline. I didn't say to beat the kid. There's absolutel nothing wrong with discplining a child.

And the kid isn't a "normal person", he's a kid, and he has rules to follow because he's a kid that "normal people" already know. Thinks like "don't throw tantrums", "respect people" (especially the authorities, in this case his parents), and "don't kick my $2000 stereo".

Amen. How old is the kid, anyway? If their young, then the parents may have gone a bit far, but not for someone in their teens. Oh, and, yes, there is a HUGE difference between discipline and abuse. Even physical disipline. Believe me, I know. I've experienced both. (not from the same person.)

[Raistlin]

I agree with Leeza: for the kid to be acting like that much of a spoiled brat means he probably was just that: a spoiled rotten brat. That sort of situation resulted from bad parenting in the first place.

And there are much better ways of discipline than physical ones.

[Anaisa]

It appears that the little sod deserves it, so I think its a great idea. If more kids got this sort of treatment we'd have alot less brats running around. I also think that once he's opened up his box of coal, if he starts misbehaving they should then hurl pieces of coal at him, until he behaves himself.

[black orb]

>>> Coal isnt that bad you know, it has its uses too.. When I was a kid I really wanted coal for christmas, but my mom didnt give me any ..
Anyways, play with coal is funnier than a Xbox..

[Madame Adequate]

It appears that the little sod deserves it, so I think its a great idea. If more kids got this sort of treatment we'd have alot less brats running around.

Yeah, just more kids who think it's perfectly acceptable to be cruel to someone.

Now, I'll assume it's real because it provides good grounds for discussion.

I think it entirely fair to punish the kid, and it seems as though they are at least making an effort to stop being bratty. On the other hand the nature of the punishment suggests that there's no real attempt at good parenting, merely vindictiveness. If it was merely witholding the 360 for a couple of weeks, for instance, and adding to it if he threw a tantrum or whatever, I'd think it a fine measure.

As has been said, kids don't end up like that unless they've been raised like that. So largely the parents have themselves to blame. It is there responsibility, and seeing as many people are so fond of implying that children are lesser beings and essentially owned by their parents, I'm afraid it entirely is up to the parents to make sure they don't come into contact with bad influences, even at daycare and such.

As to the methods of punishments, I think physical punishment is pretty terrible and in the overwhelmingly massive majority of cases, unwarranted. And in some cases punishment pretty much doesn't work. My parents tried lectures, they tried spanking, they tried grounding, and probably some stuff I can't remember. But I still misbheaved, 'cause I was one hell of a headstrong/arrogant kid, and I didn't really care. But when they sat down and actually talked and explained things (Differing from the lectures.) I usually listened. Certainly appreciated being credited with the intelligence to understand them.

[Shaun]

I just think the kid needs to get a grip. He needs to be taught a lesson. It's as simple as that. But yes, it's sometimes the parents' fault too.

[Anaisa]

Yeah, just more kids who think it's perfectly acceptable to be cruel to someone.

He's being cruel by behaving the way he does. So when he receives the same treatment he'll see what it feels like. If he sees that if he behaves badly thats the kind of treatment he'll get, it will soon stop him behaving in such a way.

[Twisted Tinkerbell]

My mum never smacked me, and I don't think that smacking kids is right. My mum rarely even yelled at me. She just gave me this really scary look and lowered her voice. On more than one occation I thought she'd kill me when she did that. I turned out fine. Ok I can be a little rough at times, but that's more due to where I live, most the people I know round here have been mugged, threatened, the list goes on.

[Dragon Ash]

When I have sprogs, i'm going to follow the bible of Super Nanny; for Jo is God and she knows how to smite those little demons! (With a little tender loving care!)

[fire_of_avalon]

The kid has obviously learned this behavior from his parents. Afterall, they didn't do crap about the situation until the child kicked the father's stereo system.

[DarkLadyNyara]

My grandma is against hitting kids, but when I was 4, I kicked her and she hit me back. Never did that again. There are times I'm suprised she didn't pop me one, cause I could be smurfing vicious as a kid. I would have deserved it.

[Vyk]

I wouldn't always jump to the parenting. This is an old thread but reading the new responses I think it's still relavent. Some kids are just evil (I apologize and I use the term loosely). I was a little monster when I was a child. Everything had to be my way or I'd raise hell, and it had nothing to do with what my parents did. It was just the way I was in my head. I grew out of it. Again, it really didn't have anything to do with my parents. I just suddenly started caring about things and people other than myself. Don't just assume the parents haven't tried. Sometimes there's no avoiding a horrible child