Discipline Put In a Corner

Cody Flores, staff writer

For some of these so-called moms and dads, punishment is not an option. They would rather do whatever they can to make sure their little babies are happy. These parents shouldn’t be treating their kids like they are on a date. They should be treating their kids the way they didn’t want to be treated when they were young: like children.

That’s right. There’s nothing wrong with taking little Joey across your knee if he won’t stop punching his sister. There’s nothing bad about grounding little Samantha because she won’t stop filling mommy’s purse with orange juice. And there’s nothing inhumane about taking away little Eric’s Playstation because he can’t stop screaming when you’re trying to watch Dr. Phil.

That is how kids learn, through discipline and tough love. I’m not saying it’s ok to severely beat a child every time he or she messes up. Talking to them is the first course of action. Tell them what they did wrong, and if they don’t listen, then that is the time to use your size advantage. You’re bigger than them, older than them, and wiser than them. Make them do what they are supposed to. Chances are they won’t do it again. But if they do, I suggest skipping the talking and getting right to the punishment, old-school style. Like they did back in the day. A little physical abuse never hurt anyone.

Talk shows have guests on all the time that have problems handling their kids. Usually, the families allow the show to videotape the events that go on in the homes for a week or so. Most of the time, they consist of kids running amuck, completely out of control.

But what do the moms and dads do? They allow it to happen. They seem timid and scared to step in and take action. They basically ignore it. I see the tapes, and I don’t want to slap the kids, I want to slap the parents. Why are these kids so mean and evil? Is it simply because their parents are weak and spineless? Yes.  If your little kid keeps pulling your hair, don’t ask him politely, “Could you please quit that?” Tell him, “Dylan, Mommy’s very angry, and if you plan on watching ‘SpongeBob’ anymore then I suggest you stop.” That will get him. “Spongebob.” All these little kids today love “Spongebob.”

Outside of the home, it’s worse. Every time I’m in a restaurant, there is at least one family with kids jumping around in the booths and wreaking havoc. And once again, the parents sit with their heads down and allow it to happen. Come on folks, do your part. I say, if your parenting skills are poor, then you shouldn’t be able to take your kids anywhere. It’s as simple as that.

No one wants to see and hear a couple of brats yelling and screaming while they are eating. There should be private sections for parents with undisciplined children.  They should be outcast like lepers. Send them outside like they’ve done now with the smokers. In fact, sit me around a bunch of smokers. Because I’d much rather risk lung cancer from second-hand smoke than a life sentence for strangling a couple of kids at Applebee’s.

It’s not just with discipline that parents are soft. It’s also with what they allow their kids to be exposed to. If you don’t allow your kids to see movies because they have a glimpse of violence in them, or listen to CDs because they have “naughty words,” then you are not doing your job. What? Did he really write that parents should let their kids be exposed to this at such a young age? Yes, I did. Exposure to this later on in life only increases its excitement. If you see violence, sex, and profanity when you are young, then just like life, the older it gets, the less you enjoy it.

Sheltering your children is not the wisest thing to do. They are the ones who usually turn out to be evil. The bad seeds. The ones you don’t want to mess with.  The murderers, drug dealers, and lawyers.

If you lead them to believe that the world is full of good people with good morals, then you have become a liar. And no one has ever prospered from being a liar…except the president, of course. The world is a cruel place, and kids should be taught that early.

I talk a lot about physical punishment, but remember that this should be the last resort. All I’m saying is respect your kids, but don’t let them disrespect you. I know I don’t have any children myself, and that’s fine. But as famous comedian Bill Maher once said, “No, I don't have kids. And I don't intend to have any until people start making some I'd want my kids to play with!”