Are you raising a generation of nincompoops?

[TLynnHughes]

Come on people. Worse beating I ever got at age 15 was telling my Dad that he was stupid for taking a different trek back home from school. I said that I would have taken the same route back so I could at least slide down the snowy mountain-side barefooted at least once a day. I thought it was funny. He didn't.

Doug

T.

[LaserTex]

My hiney wasn't laughing...sad but true story.

Doug

[lonewolf]

My brothers and I got adventurous one day and cut ALL the branches off of Mom's fig tree in the back yard of a house we were renting.......Not good for the home team, I can assure you. My aunt that was watching us was sound asleep on the couch while we were in the act. Before we were done, there must have been half a dozen of us involved, all under the age of 8. My father had just given my older brother a child's tool set for his birthday, complete with small saw, hammer and screwdrivers. Made short work of the tree, nothing left but a stump sticking up 4 feet from the ground......

None of us sat comfortably around the table that night.....

[i8godzilla]

My brothers and I got adventurous one day and cut ALL the branches off of Mom's fig tree in the back yard of a house we were renting.......Not good for the home team, I can assure you. My aunt that was watching us was sound asleep on the couch while we were in the act. Before we were done, there must have been half a dozen of us involved, all under the age of 8. My father had just given my older brother a child's tool set for his birthday, complete with small saw, hammer and screwdrivers. Made short work of the tree, nothing left but a stump sticking up 4 feet from the ground......

None of us sat comfortably around the table that night.....

When it comes to trees and tanning my hide I'll have to share this one..................I grew up on the east coast of Florida (Titusville) as Dad worked for NASA at KSC. There where thousands of acres of orange groves within a short distance from where our house was. Well, for whatever reason, a friend and I decided that we would grab a baseball bat and ride through the groves on our dirt bikes hitting the oranges for sport. Well, after getting a way with a couple of times we opted to do it once more. This time we were shot at and hit multiple with rock salt (20 Ga.) by the owner. Well, on one leg I had a really bad raspberry that my Dad and Mom noticed just before dinner. I was not able to lie to them about how it happened. Next thing I know I am in the car with Dad headed to the grove. I though GREAT Dad is going to stick-up for me. NOT! He finds the man (small town, yes, he knew him). Looks at me a tells me to apologize to the man. Stunned, I babbled on about how it would never happen again and at this point was truly sorry! Well, no sooner than I had finished speaking, my Dad proceeds to warm up my rear. Once he tired (okay not really) he stated that I would be there every day after school until I had worked of the damages that I AND my friend caused.

Let me tell you, that was the last time I EVER destroyed or damaged someone's property.

[lonewolf]

In all honesty, pain is the basic survival mechanism inherent in virtually all human beings. A two year old can't always conceptualize a reasoned explanation of why something is bad or shouldn't be done, but a little swat on the behind is certainly memorable.

And yes, I have had occasion to paddle my children't behinds. My rules were that I always used my hand (so I would know exactly how hard they were being spanked,) and I never spanked them in anger. I made sure I was calmed down and explained to the youngster exactly what to expect and why. I never waited too long after the incident either, that way there was a direct connection between the action and the consequences. After all if you rub a dog's nose in a poop spot or spank him 8 hours after he makes the mess it will just confuse him.

[lonewolf]

I guess all boys get to play at being Paul Bunyon once......

[suthdj]

The memories, my mother would ring a big cow bell she had, if we heard it we needed to come home if we didn't hear it we were to far away from home and got into trouble. Her favorite paddles were the wooded spoon, wooded slat in the window shades or yard stick, she wasn't gonna hurt her hand and she never missed the meat of our butts. One time she was going to town on my brother butt he yanked the yard stick out of her hand and broke it over his knee. I think that was when she started to use the slats. Ok bed time see ya'll tomorrow.

[RPB]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39387465/ ... parenting/

NEW YORK — Second-graders who can't tie shoes or zip jackets. Four-year-olds in Pull-Ups diapers. Five-year-olds in strollers. Teens and preteens befuddled by can openers and ice-cube trays. College kids who've never done laundry, taken a bus alone or addressed an envelope.

Are we raising a generation of nincompoops?

Wait ... THERE'S not AN APP FOR THAT?