I was in church once and the boy next to me, about 9 or 10, was just absolutely out of control. Single mom couldn't control him.
The boy was loud, interrupting the service, insulting to his mother, and absolutely refused to obey her gentle pleading.
He kept rolling around on the floor and knocking into me. I didn't say anything, but I was growing increasingly annoyed. We were in the back and this kid was damn near throwing a tantrum, just refusing to sit in his chair and instead laying underneath his seat, clinging to its legs while kicking.
Eventually, a father carrying his infant daughter was trying to walk through the aisle and the boy wouldn't move.
At that point, I had had enough. I yanked the chair off of the boy, set it down to the side, stared straight into his eyes, and gave him a direct order: "Stand up right now, get out of the aisle, and listen to your mother."
Kid was stunned. You could tell no one had ever spoken to him with that kind of directness and authority. He immediately obeyed without making a peep. Kept quiet for the rest of the service, too.
This is why discipline is important. The son had zero fear or respect of his mother. That's why he was acting like a brat in public to the detriment of everyone around him.
A few good spankings from a father would have put paid to that nonsense and brought happiness of the boy, his mother, and society at large.
Gentle parenting only works if there is a strong foundation of authority and respect from child to parent.
Shocking number of millennial and Gen Z parents spank their kids, study says: 'Necessary to raise a child properly'
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