Doug Miller, wrote the following at or about 3/26/2007 12:32 PM:
In article .com, wrote:
I bought a wooden coffee table and now have a 1 year old who loves to
beat on it.

So teach her not to do that.

A family is not supposed to be a democracy. It's supposed to be a benevolent
dictatorship, with the parents in charge -- and if you don't learn to control
her behavior REAL SOON, and teach her to respect and obey you and your wife,
you're going to have some MAJOR problems down the road. If, a dozen years from
now, you find yourself with a mouthy, rebellious 13-year-old, you shouldn't
wonder why. The seeds are being sown right now.

The parents are supposed to be in charge. You're not. Fix that problem first,
and the coffee table problem will take care of itself.


Amen! Not to sound cranky or anti-child (I'm not... well, not
anti-child at least) but if you teach them early that "No!" means
exactly that, no equivocation, no slack, "No means no!" you'll find that
everything else will fall into place quite easily.

Of course, it depends on you, the adult, to work. You have to stick
with it and remember NOT to use it when what you really mean is "not
right now" or "not this time."

I do so enjoy watching young parents - perhaps some that shouldn't be -
letting little Johnny or Julie act quite the a**hole because they want
their way. If I make eye contact, I'll smile and chuckle. Once in
awhile the parent will take offense and say something like "It really
isn't funny!" My response, invariably, "Oh, I know it isn't. I'm just
laughing at the thought of you dealing with that in about eight years
when he/she is 12-13 and at near fighting weight."

LOL!