As kids get older and timeouts don't work so well anymore (if they ever did), what's a parent to do to make them obey the rules? Sure you can ground them, or take away privileges, and, yes, there's always reasoning with them (ha!), but sometimes you need to make a little stronger statement. That's just what one dad was seeking to do when his method of discipline attracted a whole lot of attention -- not all of it supportive.
It started after someone posted his Craigslist ad on Reddit titled "Parenting: They're doing it right". In the ad the father was looking for a nonworking PS3 video game. He said his sons were "in need of a lesson" and he wanted to smash what they think is their beloved PS3 to teach them one.
He stated:
I know most of you will respond by saying these boys are in need of a good spanking, but that's just not the way we handle these situations. I want to smash their "PS3" in front of them, then ground them for a month.
While there were plenty of cries of hell yeah, there were also (of course) plenty of sanctimonious suggestions that this was just lazy parenting and that he should just take the game away and make the boys earn it back. Or that the dad was acting childish and setting a bad example for the kids, and he should do X, Y, or Z instead.
But I say go dad! No, it may not be textbook parenting, but it may be just what these boys need. It's not as extreme as the dad who shot his daughter's laptop with a gun but it's along the same lines, and it shows that same strong devotion to making sure that one's children are raised with some respect and manners no matter what. Kids need to know we mean business, and sometimes that means we have to push the limits. I'd certainly rather see parents act like this than those who let their children run wild and offer no discipline whatsoever or those who resort to physical violence.
There's no report as to if this dad, who is unidentified, ever got the PS3 through Craigslist or not. I personally hope he did and that he videotaped the whole thing too, because I'd love to see it one of these days.
Do think this dad's tactic is too extreme?
Image via tiffa130/Flickr
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Comments 15
seems a bit crual but then surprise them with there OLD ps3 with a note on it that says"next time you wont be so lucky"
What the hell is wrong with you? If this man is threatening to destroy property that does NOT belong to him, one, what else is he doing? and two what else might he be capable of? Oh that's right, its a loser man who's mommy told him he is special and that he can do as he please. This loser needs to grow up and stop acting like a three year old.
Pretty sure most children don't own much property. My parents always reserved the right to take away anything I didn't need to survive because having things is a privledge, not a right. Who knows what this father has tried in order to discipline his children? My guess is what he's tried hasn't worked, so he's getting creative. He's not physically hurting the kids, so why not try a new approach? You don't know what you'd do until you're faced with it!
I think it is over the top and extreme.
I believe that what is our children's is theirs, not mine. I don't take my children's belongings away, nor do I purposefully destroy it.
Destroying property because we don't like what someone did is not the self-controlled example of dealing with difficult situations we want to give our children.
1. Anything I buy for my child is hers, until she decides she doesnt have to listen to me. Then it gets repo'd and becomes mine again until she can learn from her mistakes.
2. He's not so heartless that he's smashing the real one, he's trying to find a nonworking one to smash just to set an example.
3. would you prefer he beat them as opposed to taking away something they love that is just a THING that can be replaced. He's not shooting the family dog in front of them to set an example.
I'd like to see how some of your children grow up someday... hopefully they won't be anywhere near my child with their unnatural sense of entitlement.
OMG some of these posters on here! When I was 8 I shared a bedroom with my 2 brothers. One day my mom got fed up with us not cleaning our room so she got trash bags and made us put everything in it except a pillow and a few clothes. We had to take all of it downstairs. At the time I had a porcelain doll collection. She told me to go get a hammer. I did.. she then said now since you can't keep your room clean you can't have your pretty things anymore so take the hammer to the doll. I bawled like a big baby. She told me "If you don't want this to happen again you keep your room clean". I didn't break my doll but my lesson was learned. (She also did the same with my brothers and their "pretties").