Jamie and Jools Oliver don’t believe in smacking their four kids Poppy, Daisy, Petal or Buddy if they’re naughty instead Jamie feeds them red hot chillies.
Mmm, not too sure about that one, Jamie.
But every parent has their chosen method of disciplining their kids. Some mums and dads banish them to their bedroom or make them stand on “the naughty step”. Others give a parental lecture on the rights and wrongs of of the situation.
They choose to “reason” the offending child into better behaviour. Or there is the “removal of treats” method. No sweets, no telly, no Friday night pizza, no pals round to play.
I know one mum who deducts pocket money for every transgression 50p for minor misdemeanours, rising to a £1 for more serious crimes. I do wish a similar punishment was meted out to the naughty bankers who got us into a big financial mess.
“Sorry, but that will be £50,000 pounds out of this year’s salary for not noticing what was going on. And possibly one million quid for your dodgy deals.”
I bet it would have worked. Now every quote I’ve ever read about discipline stresses the idea that consistency is important.
Mean what you say and say what you mean. Be calm, controlled and consistent. Great advice, but so hard to enforce.
The trouble about naughty kids is that they drive you temporarily crazy. There you are at the check-out, packing your bags and your child snaffles sweets from the handily-provided display.
Do you calmly reason “no darling, not good for your teeth. Here’s an apple I peeled earlier.”
Not if you’re me. You rant. And when that doesn’t work you capitulate and thrust the sugar-laden sweets at the triumphant brat.
Or you banish them to their bedroom and they howl till you fear the neighbours will call social services.
You remove telly privileges and then don’t get your quiet 30 minutes for a coffee and a read of your favourite magazine.
I’m sure ‘parenting experts’ wouldn’t agree, but I believe the punishment should not only fit the crime but also suit the parent. Do what works for you.
I never tried the red-hot chilli method. Too posh for my kitchen. Carrots were as red as my vegetable rack got. But you know what, Jamie? Sometimes I smacked them (lightly of course, on the bottom) and sometimes it worked.
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