Well, It's A Tactic That Scares Me...

Usually when I visit Asda I come back with tales of children being landed with names from the handbook of cruel parenting but today my blood was actually starting to boil with another gripe.

As I sat having a quick lunch in the Asda café a mother and son were sat behind us. The son was about 4/5 years old and climbing over everything – the seats, the table. The mother would meekly say ‘sit down’ ad nauseum and still he stomped across everything. And then the mother said one of the things that makes me grrrr….

"If you don’t sit down I’ll have to go and get a policeman"

Of all the bloody stupid attempts at controlling a child’s behaviour but sadly not at all uncommon. In fact I remember when we had nutty neighbour, she screamed outside at her toddler that if she didn’t come in and eat her tea she would phone the police and they would come and take her away.

When I was brought up I was taught if I was in trouble a policeman would help. If I was lost or in danger I knew to look for a policemen, in the same way when I was old enough I was taught to understand and respect how to call for help. What sort of message does threatening a child with the police when they are misbehaving send out to them? In fact as a child a family friend was a policeman and he commented how common it was for children to be frightened when they saw a policeman as their parents had used the police scare tactic.

Another cross over area for the scare tactic is threatening children with the doctor and/or dentist – then parents wonder why almighty tantrums are thrown when you really do need the medics!

Breathe and rant over!

Comments

[tikkles]

True, true. But the police are scarier now - thinking of the whole Menezes thing... "stop that or you'll get an Asbo..."

[Marjory]

They could threaten them with ME!

[Miss M]

Is still laugh at the name "Thespian".

And the wonder why so many people hate the police. I always smile and the police when I see them which has caused some strange looks from the Aussie coppers, I guess they just aren't used to it :-)

[Keris]

I totally agree. It's the same reason I hate "Wait til your daddy gets home" - poor Daddy, home after a hard day and expected to immediately start disciplining the children. And shouldn't the kids be looking forward to their daddy coming home, not dreading it?

I've also heard, "If you don't stop doing that a bad man will come and get you."

Oh and sending them to their bedroom as punishment and then wondering why they don't want to go to bed.

Ooh, Beki, you've hit on one of my hobbyhorses here! :)

[Ally]

Ooooh, yes! Grrrrrr to all of the above.

And one of the funniest/saddest things about the magazine we used to get with profiles of children up for adoption was some of their names ... bless.

[Sharon J]

I couldn't have put it better!

[Alice]

Several times I've been on a train or a bus with a mum & child who is playing up. I've noticed that a common tactic is for the mum to say to the child - "You'd better behave otherwise that man will tell you off!" whilst gesturing at a man sitting nearby, minding his own business. Firstly... How utterly embarrassing for the man, and secondly... What on earth does that tell you about the woman's confidence in herself to discipline her child, and thirdly... What seeds are being sown in that child's mind about the behaviour of strangers? I hate this stupid tactic too... Grrr!!

[Kate]

Well said!

BTW, I heard an atrocious name yesterday. Hurley - I'm guessing the parents were Lost fans but, it may be descriptive, perhaps the poor child has a dicky tummy. Anyhow, I chuckled and reminded myself to share it with you.