A Dude’s Guide

As I was walking back to the car after my youngest little dude’s football game, I heard the following conversation.

Little Dude in Pads: Dad, I made two tackles. That means you owe me $2.

Dad: Next week, I’m going to make it that you have to get a tackle and win the game to get any money.

Little Dude in Pads: You ought to make that offer to the whole team.

Grandma: What you ought to do is tell them they either win the game or they get a beatin’.

All right, I’m pretty sure the grandmother was kidding. Well, almost sure. She was smiling at least. But it got me to thinking about the generational changes in what’s considered acceptable for discipline. Looking back to my own youth, lo, these many millenia ago, I don’t remember getting hit all that often. What I do remember was pretty, well, memorable. I think the physical correction stood out so much because it happened rarely.

Were things really all that much different when, say, my dad’s generation was growing up? Was the hand/belt/switch really applied all that much more often?

I know my mom talks about having to go out and select the stick that her grandmother would use to punish her with, which is horrible on so many levels. If that sort of thing were to happen out in the open today, I’m sure there would be folks lining up with torches and pitchforks

I tend to be of the opinion that it’s not a good idea to teach your little dudes respect by lashing out at them. Call me silly, but it doesn’t seem right to teach them not to, say, hit by, you know, hitting them.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? Has discipline moved too far away from actual discipline and into hoping someone will change after a stern talking to?

– Richard

Related posts

• An Old Football Injury (0)
• Victory Is Mine! (0)
• Kiddie Colds: Docs Recommend Parents Suffer (0)
• You Still Suck* (0)
• Will You Do It For A Dollar? (0)