While sitting in my living room this afternoon I heard the slamming of a door, and a woman’s voice raised in anger. Not at a boyfriend or husband, but at her child. I almost shrugged it off, until I heard what cause Mommy Dearest’s outrage. The child had, horror of horrors, swung on her in front of company.

This is not the first time I have observed this phenomenon. Lots of today’s children think violence is the answer, and think swinging on an adult is acceptable. One of those little bastards even tried to swing on me. I’ll let you guess who woke up on the floor.

When I was a child, children were taught to respect their elders. They were taught to use their brains instead of fists, and to only resort to violence as a last resort. Don’t get me wrong, we knew how to fight, but it was something you did when all other options ran out. And parents were definitely off limits as they were the authority figures who carried the switches, belts, and other tools of pain. They were the ones who “brought you in this world,” and who would “take you out of it” if necessary.

Today, I see stories of parents sent to hospital after a fight with their children. Yes, these crumb snatching self-entitled little beasts actually break bones and more if they don’t’ get their way. And the parents still try to be their friend.

Wake up people!

It’s your job to be a role model to these monsters. You can’t let them always get their way, and give in to their tantrums, because life isn’t going to allow that once they become adults.

Believe it or not, someone in their future wont’ give a swivel-eyed tinker’s damn about their feelings. They will have to learn to toughen up, or get fucked up real fast. Parents, if you show them how to comport themselves, they won’t have to get but so tough, and they’ll still have the skills necessary to survive in this harsh reality we call life.

Mommy Dearest, from our story above, had the right idea with her child. She firmly let the child know that they were in trouble. She also let them know that she would have no problem embarrassing them in front of everyone in the room if they screwed up again. And, she ended her monolog by saying “if you ever swing on me again, I will take you out like an adult. Just try me.”

Way to go Mom!