Dad tries unique punishment for vandalizing son

[forever_town]

Some idiot mom did this recently with her kid as well; that also might have been for vandalism.

So if the kid does do it again, what's the next step? A larger font on the sign? Forced to walk naked and covered only in gang signs?

Turn him in. Have him sent either to juvy or to jail for a night or two.

 

[KG]

Some idiot mom did this recently with her kid as well; that also might have been for vandalism.

So if the kid does do it again, what's the next step? A larger font on the sign? Forced to walk naked and covered only in gang signs?

Turn him in. Have him sent either to juvy or to jail for a night or two.

You can't just have them sent there. It would be nice if you could (for lesson-teaching purposes), but you can't.

 

[alleyallen]

I wonder how many of you who criticized the dad's decision are actually parents. And don't say it doesn't make a difference because it does. Any attempt to claim otherwise is just foolish.

 

[User 1019]

Damn, dude. Where you been?

Great to have you back.

 

[JR]

I wonder how many of you who criticized the dad's decision are actually parents. And don't say it doesn't make a difference because it does. Any attempt to claim otherwise is just foolish.

I'm a parent and I think it's bush league parenting.

 

[Grimace]

Maybe he said it and it didn't make the story, but if the dad took any responsibility, I missed it. If you ask the son to man up and take responsibility for his actions, then what about the father?

Yes, yes, I know. It's possible to be a great parent and for your kids to do something stupid. (I remember that Cosby Show episode where Vanessa smoked a cigaratte.)

 

[zeke12]

A little bit of this strikes me as a media-savvy dad having his "Joe the Plumber" moment.

Yup. And, even if I didn't get creeped out by that part, I'd get creeped out by this seeming to be about the dad and not the kid.

 

[Lester Bangs]

I wonder how many of you who criticized the dad's decision are actually parents. And don't say it doesn't make a difference because it does. Any attempt to claim otherwise is just foolish.

I'm a parent and I think it's bush league parenting.

I'm also a parent and won't pass judgment on the guy because I have no idea what I'd do to get my kid going in the right direction. My father was a Vietnam War-era drill sergeant and though I never got the sandwich-board treatment, I was dealt some very public and creative punishments. Some of it was good, one in particular caused a falling out that lasted several years, but I look back on it now and realize he was doing the best he knew how.

Again, I don't agree with it, but it's not in the realm where I'll pass judgment.

 

[writing irish]

Seems to me that junior is a chip off the old block.

 

[JR]

I'd like Poin to come back and give us his take on this.

 

[outofplace]

I don't think humiliating your children, even privately, is a sign of good parenting.

Wow, I actually agree with JR on something related to parenting. Scary.

That said, this man knows his son much better than any of us do. If he thinks it will work, I certainly won't criticize him for trying it, though I wouldn't do something like that.

Fake edit: Well put, Lester.

 

[alleyallen]

I don't necessarily agree or disagree. However, I find it odd that the people are taking the dad to task for making the kid man up but not manning up himself. Uhm, pretty sure the dad was there, watching his kid during his punishment. As embarassing as it might be for the kid, it's pretty embarassing for the parent, too, seeing their offspring marching around with a sandwich board.

Still, action is better than inaction.

 

[JR]

Wow, I actually agree with JR on something related to parenting. Scary.

We disagreed on something related to parenting?

Refresh my memory.

 

[Grimace]

I guess I've just been exposed to parents like this Dad (based on my assumptions). They're very quick to dole out the big punishment, and high volume, but pretty lax before then.

I wish the reporter would have asked a simple question:

Where were you when your son was committing this crime?

 

[mike311gd]

It sounded like it happened while the kid was in school. I get your point, Grimace, but parents can't be everywhere, and I think it's a bit foolish to assume they can be -- or should know everything their children are doing. Very few can.

 

[outofplace]

I think Grimace's issue is that the parent is making a show of being tough on his kid, but wondering what the guy had been doing while things got to that point.

 

[zeke12]

I will say, the guy does seem to be trying, and does seem to grasp that his son was probably acting out for attention of some kind. Those are all in his favor.

And if he isn't beating the kid and he isn't ignoring him, he's a step ahead of a lot of dads.

I still think the dad is probably working out his own issues, here. Perhaps that's unavoidable.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I'm a parent, and I'd never do something like this. I do agree with a little something the purple blob is getting at; the job of parenting is not about a big act like this, it's about myriad little acts over time that build your child.

 

[cranberry]

I will say, the guy does seem to be trying, and does seem to grasp that his son was probably acting out for attention of some kind. Those are all in his favor.

And if he isn't beating the kid and he isn't ignoring him, he's a step ahead of a lot of dads.

I still think the dad is probably working out his own issues, here. Perhaps that's unavoidable.

That's pretty close to my viewpoint and I'll feel even more comfortable when I can confirm that he didn't alert the newspaper himself.

 

[Small Town Guy]

I will say, the guy does seem to be trying, and does seem to grasp that his son was probably acting out for attention of some kind. Those are all in his favor.

And if he isn't beating the kid and he isn't ignoring him, he's a step ahead of a lot of dads.

I still think the dad is probably working out his own issues, here. Perhaps that's unavoidable.

That's pretty close to my viewpoint and I'll feel even more comfortable when I can confirm that he didn't alert the newspaper himself.

You'll only write about my kid if I make him wear a sandwich board on Main Street.