Yeah, there's a difference between getting the bad behavior to stop, and getting the child to learn why they shouldn't do it. My dad could sure as hell get me to stop behaving in ways he didn't want me to, boy howdy, but the end result was fear during my childhood, hatred during my teens, and dislike now that I'm an adult.
Meanwhile, my mum taught me so much more, when she wasn't around the old man. I'm not going to pretend I was the perfect kid, but I was a hell of a lot better than some because the person who taught me my values did so by respecting my intelligence enough to use it against me, rather than just smacking me.
This was a woman who would actually physically leave when I had a tantrum as a little lad, even if we were in public. I stopped doing it, because what's the point? No attention, no power to the antics, pointless waste of energy. She would always just be around the corner, keeping an eye on things, but the point was made. I knew to work within the system, rather than trying to circumvent it. 
Ironically, the stuff that really got me off the rails, in some pretty bad (but still remarkably tame, looking back) ways, was the strict shit. But that's a story for elsewhere.
Meanwhile, my mum taught me so much more, when she wasn't around the old man. I'm not going to pretend I was the perfect kid, but I was a hell of a lot better than some because the person who taught me my values did so by respecting my intelligence enough to use it against me, rather than just smacking me.
This was a woman who would actually physically leave when I had a tantrum as a little lad, even if we were in public. I stopped doing it, because what's the point? No attention, no power to the antics, pointless waste of energy. She would always just be around the corner, keeping an eye on things, but the point was made. I knew to work within the system, rather than trying to circumvent it. Ironically, the stuff that really got me off the rails, in some pretty bad (but still remarkably tame, looking back) ways, was the strict shit. But that's a story for elsewhere.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
