The husband and I occasionally contemplate what kind of parents we’d make. We usually decide that we are as – or more – capable of being good parents as the average parent out there.
Case in point:
At Famous Dave’s BBQ this afternoon, we had the pleasure of sitting next to a lovely family. A mother, father, 4 year old girl, 2 year old boy, and 9 month old girl.
Overheard conversation #1:
Girl: <whining and complaining>
Father: Settle down and eat your fries.
Girl: I DON’T WANNA EAT THEM!!!!!
Father: You don’t know what you’re talking about.
Girl: I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!! I DON’T WANT TO EAT THEM!!!!!
‘You don’t know what you’re talking about’?? I’m no child psychologist, but I’m pretty sure that’s a sure-fire way to escalate an argument with a 4 year old child. Actually, that’s a sure-fire way to escalate an argument with anyone.
Overheard conversation #2:
Boy: <SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH>
Mother: Stop it! Stop that right now!
Boy: <SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH>
Mother: That’s enough!! Stop it!
Boy: <SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH>
Mother: <quiet but scarily stern> You stop that right now! If you don’t stop that, then you are going to hell!
Boy: <silence>
Excu-sa moi whaaaaa??? Did that mother just condemn her child to hell???? Does a mother really have that kind of power????? And … why did the 2 year old boy respond to that? Why was there not another peep out of him for the rest of lunch? Does ‘hell’ mean something real and sinister to him – like a severe beating followed by banishment to the basement crawl space – as opposed to something he doesn’t have to worry about till the grim reaper comes calling?
So, there you have it. Two fine examples of parenting that won’t be making it into my playbook ….
4 replies on “bad parenting”
I’ll have to remember not to follow those examples when (if) I get married and have kids of my own.
Famous Dave’s fries aren’t my favorite either. Making the kid eat them is extremely bad parenting.
LOL, strike 3 against the parents …
I am totally doing that with my kids!
I didn’t realise that such a wonderful bonus existed! My girlfriend wants to get married in the church, and raise kids in the church. I don’t. She is insistant, and frankly, I don’t care that much, so I will indulge her and make her happy. But now! Now that I know that with church upbringing comes perfect parenting… this leads to whole new worlds of posibilities! Do your homework, or you’re going to hell! Don’t be home late, or you’re going to hell! Stop dating that boy, or you’re going to hell! Raise good children! Suport the president! Do it all right, or you’re going to hell! I can see why early Americans got so much done. Hmmmm…. Anybody know where I can get my hands on some of those Chick Tracts? It’s time to turn this country around!
Also, I ate at Famous Daves last night. My stomach was quick to let me know that it was a mistake. But my taste buds love me.