Kid You Not held off on mentioning the Westchester County, N.Y. mom who recently kicked her bickering 10- and 11-year-old daughters out of the car and drove off because that’s hardly the worst example of bad parenting. After all, what parent hasn’t dreamed of doing the same thing to their annoying little snots, only to be held back by fear of ending up as a mugshot on Nancy Grace?
Kid You Not knew that in a short period of time, a real train wreck of a parenting decision would come along and make all us flawed moms and dads look like Mister Rogers. So here’s Kid You Not looking at his watch ... waiting ... waiting... waiting...Bingo!
First up, Dr. John Rosemond. He’s the parenting advice guru and Kid You Not has always been a big fan of his “I’m the boss” philosophy. This time he goes a little to far in trying to help a mom potty train her obstinate son. This is his point-by-point advice and I swear I am not making this up:
1. Stop talking to your son about using the potty. Don’t even ask “Do you want to try and poop in the potty today?” or other equally counterproductive questions.
2. Get rid of the diapers, pull-ups, and all associated things and resolve to never use them again.
3. Every day, right after your son eats a high fiber breakfast, gate him in the bathroom, naked from the waist down, and tell him his doctor said he has to stay there until he poops in the potty.
4. Don’t stay in the bathroom with him. Don’t offer incentives, or even encouragements. After putting him in the bathroom, make yourself scarce. Simply tell your son to call you when he poops or if he needs help.
5. Respond “coolly” to success, as if it’s no big deal. Say no more than “That’s good, you can come out now.” Do not give a reward or even lots of praise.
6. Gate him in the bathroom every day until he’s having regular bowel movements in the potty.
When this kid grows up to become a sexual deviant, I’m sure mom will say “Thanks, Dr. Rosemond!”
Next up, Todd Marcum, 41. of Salem, Oregon. He was arrested Tuesday for putting an electric dog collar on each of his four children and shocking them, according to the Associated Press. Marcum, 41, said he did it “because he thought it was funny,” Salem Police Lt. Dave Okada said. The four children, ages 3, 6, 8 and 9, had been shocked while wearing the collar at least once, according to a statement from their father, Okada said.
Marcum told police that he would chase the 3-year-old boy around with the collar, making him cry at the thought of being shocked. Okada said that because of the boy’s behavior, it is likely that the children were shocked more than once.
So the next time you agonize over not reading to your kid once a day, remember others have worked hard to make you look good.