Last week, a YouTube video of a father shooting his daughter's laptop after a Facebook post made the rounds. Many of my students in both classes commented on the video in their weekly blog assignments. Reactions tended to be one of three: "way to go!" "I understand, but that was too far," and "how dare he!"
The unsurprising part was the way the reactions were divided: parents of teenagers; older adults that either weren't parents, or whose kids hadn't reached teenage years; and young adults, respectively.
I'm betting many of the young adults that Ricki and I have would have benefited greatly from a parent that handed out consequences for bad behavior like the guy that shot his daughter's computer did.
2 hours ago
I agree with the father 100% however his attitude came across as a little vindictive, I know he was upset but it smacked a little like the daughters attitude....If that makes any sense. I guess that's where she got it from.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I thought he should have given it about two or three days to cool off, then given the consequence for the bad behavior. I don't blame him for the vindictiveness--I could hear the hurt underlying the anger.
ReplyDeleteIt was maybe a LITTLE far, but then again: apparently she said nasty disrespectful things about her mother.
ReplyDeleteIf I were a parent and I bought my teen a laptop, and she dissed either me or her father, I'd definitely take the laptop and internet connection AWAY. Maybe not shoot the laptop, but certainly let the teen know that it was a privilege and not a right, and that she just LOST that privilege for a long, long time.
I'd actually expect to see a split of reactions along political lines as well...
It's his methodology......
ReplyDeleteShoot it!
Smash it with a hammer!
Run over it with his car!
10 slashes with a wet noodle.
etc.
Ricki--I don't know my students' politics, and I try really hard not to try to figure them out. It's hard to grade opinion papers objectively when I disagree with the underlying assumptions.
ReplyDeleteOCM--It was the fact that he destroyed the laptop instead of just shutting up and taking it that had so many of my students aghast. And it was the fact that he read the letter then responded to it before shooting the computer that made the discipline work--you never discipline a child without telling them why you're doing it.
ReplyDeleteI was far more troubled by the fact that he didn't know how many rounds his .45 held - yikes.
ReplyDeleteCafe45--I have 7, 8, and 10 rnd magazines for my 1911. Just looking at the gun, I can't tell if I have 8 or 9 rounds (magazine + 1 chambered). So I don't fault him for that.
ReplyDeleteHis groupings on a target that size, that close, on the other hand...