Mother Wants To Punish Son For Throwing Away Sister's Feminine Products And Throws His Switch, Husband Says She Is Giving Bad Example

Is an eye for an eye a good strategy?

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• August 19, 2023

Parenting is like trying to find your way through a tricky maze – it's not easy at all. And when you're dealing with teenagers, things get even trickier. You know, those years when they're not quite kids anymore but not exactly adults either. It's like a whole new level of challenge.

During this time, teenagers go through a lot of changes – not just physically, but also in how they think and feel. And this brings a bunch of new issues for both them and their parents. One of the big puzzles is figuring out how to discipline them right.

You want to let them grow and become more independent, but you also want to make sure they learn how to be responsible. Deciding on the right punishments is another tough spot. It's like finding the perfect recipe – too much or too little can mess things up.

And these punishments aren't just about making them behave, they can shape how they grow up and how they see authority. So, parents are stuck in this place of not knowing what's best.

They're not only trying to fix things when their teenagers mess up but also trying to guide them into becoming good, responsible, and kind adults. It's like a big puzzle they're trying to solve while also dealing with all the other everyday stuff.

Mae, the 13-year-old daughter, grappled with severe mood swings during her periods, while also enduring intense cramping. Following a spat where her 9-year-old brother Mic got upset due to her disturbance during his Fortnite session, he retaliated by disposing of her feminine hygiene products.

This forced her mother, known as OP, into an urgent errand to replace the essential items. Meanwhile, Mic's laughter with friends over his act furthered the tension. OP reached her limit and seized Mic's gaming console, throwing it away.

This action prompted tears from Mic and intervention from her husband. He took the console back, grounding Mic from gaming, but refrained from returning the device immediately.

This decision led to a disagreement between OP and her husband regarding the severity of the punishment. While OP believed Mic's behavior warranted a stronger penalty, possibly even the permanent loss of the console, her husband considered the grounding sufficient.

Despite their differing stances, both parents aimed to teach Mic about empathy and accountability.

The OP's 13-year-old daughter has strong mood swings and period issues. In a conflict, the OP's son threw away her feminine products in retaliation and joked about it with friends.

OP confiscated her son's switch and disposed of it in the garbage. However, OP's husband has a differing opinion about this disciplinary action.

OP's son angrily threw away his sister's possessions. Instead of reacting in the same way, the OP, as a grown-up, could have handled the situation more effectively.

Discarding a switch without consideration is wasteful, and discarding it angrily is not a wise choice. The viewpoint of OP's spouse is accurate.

Promoting a child's desire for retaliation establishes a negative model, imitating their deeds and then punishing them only strengthens undesirable conduct.

OP's response, driven by anger, of disposing of the switch itself seems excessive

OP should have followed her husband's approach: securing the switch, grounding her son, and requiring a genuine apology to his sister

OP needs to teach her daughter empathy,her period isn't an excuse for rudeness

This might inadvertently suggest to OP's son that tantrums are acceptable for them.

The father is the one who acted appropriately in this situation.

OP's son's behavior is bratty, but as a grown woman, her reaction was extreme and inappropriate

Instead of discarding the son's belongings, OP should educate her son about periods and empathy towards his sister.

The recent incident with the son's thoughtless action and the mother's reaction unveiled a lack of maturity on both sides. Mother might have acted hastily and childishly in discarding her son's gaming console.

While it's understandable that emotions run high in such situations, it's also essential for adults to model the behaviors they wish to cultivate in their children. In a similar vein, the son's retaliatory behavior by disposing of his sister's items was undoubtedly immature and disrespectful.

However, rather than just focusing on consequences, it's a valuable moment for both OP and her husband to come together as a united front. Harmonizing their perspectives and deciding on a fitting consequence, one that follows through with a lesson rather than retaliation, can be a transformative approach.

Additionally, the most crucial aspect is communication. Talking to their children about their actions, the feelings that triggered them, and the repercussions these actions had on their sister can provide an insightful understanding.

Encouraging the kids to grasp the bigger picture of empathy, respect, and accountability will serve as a cornerstone for their personal growth.

Damjan