Dad sells Christmas presents on Ebay

[thelordglen]

I have to say this is going a little two far

HOUSTON - The kids were naughty, Dad put the presents on eBay instead of under the tree — and Mom's been crying ever since. Now, even the tree's down.

Saturday morning was sure not to be very jolly for three brothers — 9, 11 and 15 — who didn't straighten up when their father told them Santa wasn't too pleased with their fighting, cuss words and obscene gestures.

Dad and Mom had warned their sons that the Nintendo DS video system — and the three games that go with it — were headed for the auction block if they didn't get their act together.

"No kidding. Three undeserving boys have crossed the line. Tonight we sat down and showed them what they WILL NOT get for Christmas this year. I'll be taking the tree down tomorrow," the man announced in his eBay posting.

Actual Auction

Source

Whats your views on this?

[Tuttle]

This same sort of thing happened a while ago if I remember correctly. I'm not even certain if that story is the truth or if it's just a way to attract interest in the auction.

[Steve R Jones]

Kids that age should understand that actions have consequences. If they didn’t, they do now

[Nix]

Also the winning bid is $5,300 ?????????

[Tuttle]

He probably hasn't collected yet.

[user595212]

I call that vicious and abusive.

What kind of father would do such a thing, even if the kids were bad or something???? You just don't do that. If everybody had to "deserve" anything, nothing would ever be given.

Fie upon him.

I don't care if my child got all F's, got pregnant (or got someone pregnant), got stoned, or whatever, the child is still mine and always deserving of my presents.

Maybe I wouldn't give him a certain special present that he'd been asking for . . . but make him wait until he straightened up.

It never ceases to amaze me how rigid and sanctimonious and legalistic people can be.

This is not a useful way to teach a child anything.

Wendy

[Abhoth]

Originally posted by user595212
I call that vicious and abusive.
Wendy

You are overstating it there me thinks. Children would be much better off if parents would take responsibility for them... this is one way.

On the other hand it seems they maybe had been a bit relaxed about it for some time and things got out of hand, thus drastic action was required. Cudos to them!

[Undertaker02]

Personaly.. more parents need to distribute appropriate forms of discipline..
I don't like the use of physical forms (smacking etc), and very seldom had to..

many parents are wishy washy about their threats.. this fellow had the guts to follow through.. do I agree with the severity no.. but the kids were warned.. and regardless if it seems fair.. the ultimatum was given.. .. wish I had the guts to follow through on my threats when one our childeren were younger

the difference between rights and responsability..

and if the father had allowed this to go on what then?

bash the kid down the street, abuse the police, rape someones daughter, bash their parents.. am I overstating this.. have a chat to some of the local police ..

when the fear of punishment is gone.. what will prevent extreem negitive behaviour?

[user595212]

Folks, I don't deny that kids may sometimes deserve something not so much harsh as consequential.

However, Christmas being what it is (and I'm not talking here lavishing them with 50 zillion things), what kind of pain is that going to cause in the years to come? That's something you never forget, and not necessarily because it "taught you a lesson." It just makes you bitter.

No, I will have to firmly disagree with all of you. In my book this was over the top (hey, this might not even be a "real" story).

Which of you, in your heart of hearts, would do such a thing yourself to your kids????? Now speak up . . . .

Discipline this ain't, I'm sorry. It's a guy who knows he went overboard buying presents for these guys, and now he's whining that they're spoiled. (Why, who did that????) I know, I've watched someone do the same thing at my house.

Christmas is just over the top. Ground them for six months, but don't spoil Christmas. It seems pretty heartless to me, sorry.

The guy doesn't sound like a good example to his kids. Whaddya wanna bet he's cursing around or at them? Then he's sorry because his kids do as he does????

Plus, you have to think about the ages of the kids. Particularly in the case of the 9-year-old. (Couldn't speak for the 15-year-old, he's probably headed straight for juvie, LOL.) Some of these things rear their ugly heads for a while at certain ages, never to be seen again if dealt with immediately.

Undertaker02 (are you related to that guy who drives around in monster trucks????!!!!), you say they were warned. Let me tell you this. Kids do not, up until about 17 or 18, have the ability to futurize. They don't fully appreciate cause and effect. If they were warned, they just may not have believed it and that's part of why. We may say, why don't they think about the consequences. And I retort, it's because developmentally, they just don't have that yet.

That's why they take stupid risks (and if we're lucky, we're able to keep them under lock and key long enough to prevent that, and I personally intend to keep my son locked up, LOL, until he's, oh, 30). They feel they are immortal and they don't have the judgment yet to realize that they aren't and can get hurt. But you can't blame them for that -- not entirely anyway. It comes with.

Why don't people realize that children are not miniature adults? Incredible.

This also speaks to me of a dad who has already lost
control of the kids.



Wendy

[DELTREE]

Pop's did what he thought was right and I like the way he did it!

If his boys would not be naughty (raising he**) he would have not done it.

He is a good man and the reason he did it was because he LOVED them.


"It was his way of saying I LOVE you!"

[Steve R Jones]

Originally posted by Steve R Jones
Kids that age should understand that actions have consequences. If they didn’t, they do now

And to add a bit:
"Spare the rod, spoil the child."

Rewarding children for bad behavior is generally considered a anti productive....

[DELTREE]

I like this one!
I spank my child now so he/she does not beat me later.

[Philgo]

I agree with user595212, the punishment is far to severe.

I'm proud of the way that my two sons have grown up and that's been done without such wicked punishments. All you need to be is consistent, mine were punished by grounding or taking away pocket money, but I wouldn't dream of stopping present buying.

[Rapmaster]

Maybe the kids will learn a lesson from this and eventually be grateful.

Or maybe they'll get their revenge on dad in 30 years with something called "power of attorney"

[user595212]

Thank you, Philgo, for that endorsement and vote of confidence. Yes, it is entirely possible to raise "good kids" without being heavyhanded or spiteful.

Deltree, if Pops did what he thought was right, but it was wrong, does it matter if he thought it was right???? What's love got to do with it???? (sorry Tina Turner)

This thing about "learning their lesson" and "thanking Dad in 30 years" -- no, they might just turn against him. The lesson they learn is to be vituperative and vindictive. And I suppose, depending on whether the rest of the time they're a contented family or not, you're right, Rapmaster: what you get is "Power of Attorney."

What passes for "parenting" in this day and age just frosts me. This may not rise to the level of some stories we've had here in Philadelphia recently. I won't even start because they hurt so damn much. My point is that the kind of pettiness and impulsive foolishness this dad evidenced shows me that he is not a grownup. And if you're a father, you should be!!! If you act petty and impose this kind of thing, it is very near to being narcissistic.

As for "rewarding" them for bad behavior, I don't consider Christmas and its celebration to be that kind of "reward." Presents and festivities are to celebrate glad tidings of great joy!! If you don't love your children, you will lose them!! By that I don't mean tolerating bad behavior. Just affirming them and not making them feel despairing or humiliated while you're telling them to shape up.

Christmas does not come to those who are "good." It comes because we are part of our families and because the human family is, or can be, the way we first learn that God loves us.

Which is why I totally disagree with this approach.

Cheers
Wendy