Once I had a 2 year old in my office. You could tell he was about to get a tantrum worked up, when granpa leaned over and asked that kid. Do you want me to, FRY that Leg Boy? It was evident to everyone in the room that the child had experienced a "Moment of Clarity". There was Peace on Earth after that............ He knew granpa was Done Talking.
#2. To: NeoconsNailed, Lod, BTP Holdings, noone222, titorite, Ricky, Esso, Ada (#1)
In California more than a decade ago a woman was assaulted by her uncontrollable 15 year-old son. She managed to get it into a wrestling match on the floor rather a boxing match which no woman could win. The police arrived later and asked her if she hit her son in retaliation She said, "No." If she had said yes, the cops would have arrested her for the crime of defending herself.
Whereas the wimpish 'father' in that French commercial just stands there letting the brat run wild. It's all in the parental training, which has dramatically deteriorated in the electric age.
I loved the 1950 movie Cheaper By the Dozen as a kid, but seeing it again a few years ago was appalled at the ideas of parenthood presented (and not for the same reason as some of the side characters). It's even worse in the original book.
The other night in a restaurant a dark family was at a table next to my party of 5's. Their tot started yowling and the dark adults typically made NO effort to hush it. What did the good Christian rednecks I was enjoying a meal with do? Reached over to pat and console him -- clucked over how CUUUUTE he was too.