Parenting + Punishment = Opportunity

I was reading an advice column the other day where a woman asked what she should do with her 8 yr old son. It seems every time “Jr” visits his friend down the street he comes home with a bad attitude and is rude to everyone in the family and mom does not know what to do about it. The biggest problem here is the parents do not know what to do. Apparently, their parents never did anything when they were young to correct them when they were acting like little heathens. Now 20 years later, when these kids grow up and have children of their own they have no idea what to do with their kids.

The columnist gave a decent answer to the problem. But it also seemed pretty obvious. Mom and Dad should not let “Jr” play with this kid anymore and Mom and Dad should adjust his attitude. There should be no TV, no video games, and nothing fun for at least a week. The kid should wash dishes every night. He should take out the garbage every time it needs to be done for that week. He should help clean the house. Now, some people say that after 2-3 days an 8 yr old does not remember what he is being punished for so that is all the time the punishment should last. WRONG!!!! Once a child forgets what he/she is being punished for, that is when the real lessons are learned. He learns that the clean plates he eats from every day do not magically clean themselves. He learns that the candy wrapper does not vanish into thin air. He will discover WHY Mom and Dad NEED help to keep the house clean. It gives him the OPPORTUNITY to learn pride in a job well done . . . pride in being part of the family. He learns that he is not someone for Mom and Dad to wait on and take care of . . . but an active member in the success of the family. All these things teach him respect for his family and respect for himself. When kids forget these things, like all children do, the parents must give their child the OPPORTUNITY to learn these lessons again and again.

Brilliance or Bullshit . . . you make the call.