Discipline the kids?

[marcz]

US: Girl, Four, 'Waterboarded' By Her Father Because She Allegedly Refused To Say Her Letters | World News | Sky News

[Timbo]

It is amazing what some people will do to their kids. Imagine what else goes on behind closed doors that we never hear of. Must admit my twins Ronnie and Reggie push me to the limit, but I couldn't dream of hurting them, (even when they smashed my 46"LCD with a plastic hammer).

[LYT4X]

As half of an identical twin myself I can only sympathise.

Although this sort of punishment may seem extreme, there has to be a middle ground somewhere IMO. I had a very strict upbringing which included beatings with the belt or the slipper until I was a teenager. If I didn't eat my food it would be served cold at the next meal time. I once refused to eat my Corn Flakes at breakfast and it was poured over my head (with the milk). I was sat there dressed and ready for school one minute, then drenched in flakes and milk the next.

Today, I see friends and their kids and I think they get away with 'blue-murder'. One of the reasons I don't have kids is because, despite my childhood, I knew that I would be exactly the same as my father.

My guess is that this soldier had a similar upbringing........

[Timbo]

As half of an identical twin myself I can only sympathise.

So what did you guys get upto to drive your parents mad???


I understand what you are saying, my dad served for 25 years in the Army and I was raised the Army way, it got loud in the house but never physical. I have served for 21 years in the RAF Police where discipline is my life at work, not just being disciplined, but also enforcing it as we do in the Police. My house gets very loud but never physical. After my last tour in Iraq I came back with a stress/anxiety dis-order, which turned my life upside down for 18 months, which I am finally back on the recovery road. Anything used to make me snap, but never could I do something like this to my child. I have a very strong bond with Ronnie and Reggie(we have 2 older kids as well), especially as I saved one of their lives. One twin woke up at 2am when they were 4 months old, as I picked him up, my wife noticed the other twin wasn't breathing. It took me alot of CPR to get him breathing again and he stopped a further 7 times. They are 3 next week and I would find it very hard to save him with one breath, then raise a hand to him, and that is after 37 years living and working in the British Forces. I have replace thed TV with a 52". If it gets broken again, it gets broken, so what it is insured. My 6 year said to me last night, "Dad, I want to be like you when I am older", as they say, that is priceless.

[marcz]

I also had a strict upbringing and the strap (dad's belt) wasn't spared. I am pretty strict with my two little ones but I wouldn't tip their breakfast over them. There have been plenty of occasions when I give them a whack on the backside too but they are actually good kids and don't need that very often. That is a fact and it's brought home to me when friends visit with their kids and I see the behaviour that those parents condone/accept. I get very angry when I see them let their kids get away with things that they really shouldn't and I often sit down with mine afterwards and chat about it, reinforcing how bad it is for kids to behave like that. It sinks in to ours, I think.

And I'd never shame mine in front of other kids... but threatening to do just that has an immediate effect on behaviour

If it's a non-complient meal situation, they get sent to their room and told they can stay there until they are ready to eat. Obviously there are times when they might have a genuine reason for not wanting to eat (I don't always feel like eating a meal) and I feel very guilty if the bollocking is followed by them being obviously sick.

But this example isn't heavy discipline, it's brutality and the guy is a lunatic and should be locked up just like any child abuser.

[LYT4X]

Originally Posted by Timbo

So what did you guys get upto to drive your parents mad???

I'm afraid that turn of phrase is a bit unfortunate. My mum became a semi-regular out-patient at the local psychiatric ward............

Edit: A woman round the corner from me has identical twins........ She's going the same way too!!!!

[Timbo]

Snakes alive, sorry mate, I should have phrased it differently. My wife is on meds and I totally sympathize. One thing that really winds me up, and I have even bitten, is when people say, "I know exactly what it is like having twins, I have 2 kids under 3"

[Timbo]

Originally Posted by LYT4X

I'm afraid that turn of phrase is a bit unfortunate. My mum became a semi-regular out-patient at the local psychiatric ward............

Edit: A woman round the corner from me has identical twins........ She's going the same way too!!!!

Sorry to hear it, my wife is generally knocking on the door as well. Thankfully things are getting a little easier. Lets see what the future holds. Is your mum OK?

[SorenR]

Bringing up children is a lifetime commitment and you don't know how successfull you are until they have their own kids..

I was brought up in a home with lots of TLC, and allthough I'm a single child I can't say I'm spoiled even though money was never an issue. I generally had to earn my own pocketmoney once I was old enough to do so.. I tend to keep things much longer than others 'cause I look out for things.. It's not 'cause I'm miserly, but why break og throw away something that works perfectly.

Now, trying to impose that on the younger generation I find pretty impossible. Maybe it's a cultural thing that came over from US...

Our kids, Benjamin (17) and Louise (20), have never been physically punished, they have been sent to their rooms, denied access to computers, events etc., reasoned with and yelled at... I think we did an OK job 'cause they come to us when they have problems, when they are in love and need to share it, whenever one of their friends is in trouble - if we can help him/her... Some of their frinds even come to us to talk about problems and stuff that they cannot share with their parents.

Our new challenge is to make them realize that the next step in their life is to break the ties and build their own nest and start a family.. Not just yet, but in the next 5-10 years.. Please..

What this soldier did is terrible and only shows that this guy is not suited to be a parent! But.. I can understand his frustration.

[LYT4X]

Originally Posted by Timbo

\\"I know exactly what it is like having twins, I have 2 kids under 3\\"

Non need to apologise mate! As for people knowing what it's like having twins - I have a pretty good idea of your frustration even though I don't have any kids myself. I'll tell you what though...... don't ever say that you know what it's like to be a twin - that's only reserved for those of us with first-hand knowledge!

Originally Posted by Timbo

Is your mum OK?

Lithium has its good points and its bad points..........

To be fair, and to prevent you having sleepless nights, my maternal grandmother had similar issues........ mind you, she had twins too and my mum was one of them!!!