'Psychopath' or 'Best Parent in the World'? Dad's Unusual Punishment for Son Stirs Debate

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I agree with everyone else stating that this was a foolish punishment that says more about the father than it does the son. Take Xbox time away. Take the Xbox away from the kid for a while with clear indication of what it takes to get it back. Posting this online just makes it all the more foolish.

[TBoneTX 43,058]

“People respond in one of two ways: ‘I learned a lesson I never forgot,’ or ‘I hate my dad because I never forgave him.’”

When Papa T-B. was young, growing up in a poor family, he and his twin brother got BB guns. One day, they were shooting at each other. Their father/my grandfather -- an immigrant of high integrity who led by example -- saw them. Without a word, he broke the guns on his knee. That was a lesson that Papa T-B. and Uncle T-B. never forgot.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

When Papa T-B. was young, growing up in a poor family, he and his twin brother got BB guns. One day, they were shooting at each other. Their father/my grandfather -- an immigrant of high integrity who led by example -- saw them. Without a word, he broke the guns on his knee. That was a lesson that Papa T-B. and Uncle T-B. never forgot.

Very large difference between shooting at people, even with 'toy' guns and getting bad grades, being given an impossible task of fixing them in three weeks and then being forced to smash your most prized possession while your father films it. Did Grandpa T-B film it and then take it down to the local cinema to be shown to everyone in town? If not, then this wasn't the same as what happened to this child.

[clairegie 265]

He was made to smash ONE of his Xbox consoles... wow. When I was that age, the only thing I controlled was the TV remote for 1-2 hours every day after homework.

[decocker 7,198]

He needs to feel some hurt. Again, the pain was minimum compared to life's lessons when he grows up.

did this kid pay for the xbox with his own money he earned and saved? if not - i don't see how the pain is enough or within context to mean anything to the kid. it's like when my son gets a sixty dollar game, plays it once or twice, determines he doesn't like it and asks me to drive him to the game store so he can trade it in and get a whopping 5 bucks or so in trade. then he wants me to make up the different so he can buy another sixty dollar game that he may or may not keep or value. i'm finding it extremely difficult to teach my kid the value of work/money. he's grown up with expensive gaming systems, he takes their value completely for granted. i'm not blaming him for that, it's totally my fault. but that's my only issue with it. an xbox is a material possession but hours of human work/sacrifice went to build/pay for it.

He was made to smash ONE of his Xbox consoles... wow. When I was that age, the only thing I controlled was the TV remote for 1-2 hours every day after homework.

my brother and i had one hour each for cartoons on saturday mornings. we would highlight our tv choices in the tv guide. and no remote, had to stand up and turn the knob.

[clairegie 265]

my brother and i had one hour each for cartoons on saturday mornings. we would highlight our tv choices in the tv guide. and no remote, had to stand up and turn the knob.

I like those knobs. It always made a satisfying clunk-clunk sound.

Now the rotary phone, I do not miss. Gah... I feel old.

[decocker 7,198]

I like those knobs. It always made a satisfying clunk-clunk sound.

Now the rotary phone, I do not miss. Gah... I feel old.

kids have so much more privacy with cell phones. i remember having to make all my phone calls in the kitchen, often with the rest of the family at the kitchen table listening in. the cord only stretched so far, lol.

[Sousuke 1,214]

Growing up, this was my prized possession:

LOAD "*" ,8,1

Edited May 16, 2015 by Sousuke

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Humiliation as punishment is psychologically damaging.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Now, if they just gave the young lad a time out and explained to him that he can build or do nothing himself and that all effort is folly. Total reliance upon government is the way to go. Surely being directed into a life of study and discipline amounts to nothing more that growing up to be a bully who dips teeny bopper hair into ink wells and pulls chairs from under self important progressives.