On the Disciplining of Boys:
"There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips. We must use mercy for the present and have hope for the future, as is fitting for true fathers who are eager for real correction and improvement."
-St. John Bosco
So things you should not say, would include:
"WHAT were you THINKING???"
"If you ever want to see a pixel again...."
"If you ever want to see the light of day again...."
"Fine! But if you fall, I'm not taking you to the hospital!"
"Touch it again and I chop your fingers into tiny pieces and feed them to the dogs!"
For the record, I never said the last line. I'm just borrowing it from a friend. Though in all honesty, similar threats have crossed my lips. But they knew I wasn't serious. Honest.
7 comments:
Actually, as a guy who was at one time a boy and still drifts into that mindset (pff, like guys ever grow out of it completely) I do have to say that the line, "what were you thinking" can actually be productive.
If said with the right inflection.
The finger thing, not so much. I have heard of similar threats uttered from friends to their kids, to no avail.
I said the hospital thing just last night, as Jonny was dancing around on the slippery bathroom floor in his bare wet feet. 'Course, it was a lie, because I would take him to the hospital instead of leaving him laying there in a pool of blood as I threatened. He knows it, too. :-)
Oops...so we shouldn't threaten them with bodily harm?
So me telling Layton that I wouldn't feel sorry for him when he needed stitches is bad?!?!
I need to read some more parenting books...
LOL.
I've said stuff about the hospital too. Like, "I really don't want to have to spend the night in the emergency room so knock it off!"
I love your profile quote. Too funny, but true...
I just read that quote from St. John Bosco the other day on the Glenn Beck forum! Pretty cool!
Jeff's favorite line is "What, am I speaking Chinese?!!!"
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