Are Parents Too Soft on their Kids?
By
James L Casale, Ph.D.
Part 1-Three True Stories
Part 2-What to Do? What to Do? (coming soon)
Part 1- Three True Stories
Story # 1
While dining in one of our favorite restaurants in Juno Beach, Florida, my wife and I observed the following episode:
A mom, accompanied by her toddler son, the boy’s grandmother, and the child’s humungous toy fire engine, were seated at a table near us. The boy placed the fire engine directly on top of the table, leaving little room for anything else.
The server arrived to take their order. The server may have assumed that the toy truck would no longer be on top of the table when she returned with the food. WRONG, the toy remained on the table and the server had to figure out where to place the food other than on top of the heads of mom and grandma.
Where are the adults in this situation? Who is teaching whom? What is this kid learning?
- Casale’s Rule # 17-No toys, games, or electronics are allowed at any table anywhere when food and family conversation are being served.
True Story #2
A kindergartner was in the principal’s office with his parents listening attentively to the principal and the teacher. These two professional educators were calmly explaining the reasons why this child should not be taking things from other kids’ desks and claiming them as his own. When the conference concluded and the participants were leaving, the mother was overheard saying to her child, “It’s no big deal.”
What is this boy learning? What goes on in this home? Dr. Casale’s Rule # 2-No stealing.
True Story #3
A young man in his early twenties decided that it would be nothing more than a prank to throw a live alligator through the drive-in window at a local Wendy’s. He easily qualifies as a moron, even though, when being interviewed by a local TV organization outside the police station, he appeared to be sane as well as remorseful.
He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and theft. When his mother heard the charges, she thought them to be extreme and said. “Well, I mean, how could you not think that something like that was a prank.”
This young man lives with his parents and has never heard of Dr. Casale’s Rule # 7; Don’t be stupid even if your parents will defend you at the gates of hell.
Dr. Casale is a state and national award-winning educator, author, and national speaker. His popular podcast, COMMON SENSE PARENTING, airs each Thursday at 2:00 PM on w4wn.com (The Women for Women network). All shows are available on iHeartRadio.His website is www.commonsenseparenthood.com. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.