Parenting

Yesterday I was at a meeting I like to go to on Sundays and there are several people who regularly bring their kids. It's not technically against any rules to bring children, and they usually don't bother me. Yesterday was the exception. They sat right in front of me playing gameboy. Loudly. The kid playing had headphones in. This prevented annoying game noises, but it made the kid talk all the louder because he couldn't hear himself. His mom started off nicely asking him to keep it down when he would say something out loud. But this was happening every 45 seconds, so she got pissed quickly. She threatened to take away the gameboy if he didn't keep quiet, but he called her bluff. If you're going to threaten your kids, mean what you say and follow through. Don't tell them you'll beat them like mixed-race stepchildren unless you actually will. She just smacked his leg when he got loud, apparently not wanting him to cause even more of a scene if she took away the game. Then you have to be prepared to snatch that shit right out of his hands, pick his crying ass up when he starts wailing, and take the little fucker outside. If you're considering having children, ask yourself this: '"Am I prepared to carry out whatever threats I make, regardless of the public shame and embarrassment?"

There was one thing that could have saved the situation: whispering. I've found that some people just don't fucking know how to do it. I don't get it. Are they incapable of it? Were they not taught by their parents? My brother doesn't know how to whisper. I like to talk through movies, but when I see one with Charlie, I try not to whisper anything, because I know the response will be in full volume attracting ire from all around us.

Today's lesson: whup a kid's ass if he steps out of line and teach the bastard how to whisper.