Kevin and I took Gavin to his last soccer game of the season tonight. The skies were blue and the weather cooperated perfectly. It was a great evening for a game.
All the kids on the team are Gavin’s age, 5, so the parents on average were in their 20’s. The conversations were interesting. I heard one mom telling another mom, “Social Services can be called if you wash their mouths out with soap.” To which the other mom replied, “Really, when did that happen? You used to be able to use it.” The first mom came back with, “People have sticks up their butts. I get around that though. I just use mustard mixed with vinegar and then they can’t say anything.” The second mom wanted to know what the child had been saying to warrant this punishment. “I’m just tired of hearing the word STUPID“, she answered.
I don’t know how I feel about this to be honest. I never had an issue with Andrew or Ashley saying anything that I thought was bad. They were good kids. That said, I would never have thought to punish them with condiments. I was more of the “no TV” kind of mom. You know, you’re grounded from TV, your game system something like that.
I do remember the big controversy when Lisa Whelchel (Blair from The Facts of Life), used hot sauce on her kids tongues to punish them when they used language she deemed inappropriate. I guess I just don’t want to scar them with food.
What do you think?
I also have problems with food as rewards though. It’s food. Eat it, enjoy it…but don’t make it a prize or punishment or a source of celebration or sadness.
That’s a terrific point!
regardless of the method of punishment, i think a punishment being employed because you are tired of hearing the child say “stupid” when not even directed in a hurtful manner is inappropriate–i would want to encourage the child voicing there opinions and maybe try teaching them other words that are more descriptive to show exactly why they think X is stupid.