Subject: How to be a great parent
Posted by: lesley153
Date: Feb 12 12
This has had 18m views and counting, so a few more won't hurt.
http://www.facebook.com/tommyjordaniii/posts/299559803434210
I thought about this for a while, as the parent and as the child, and my final thoughts were very different from my initial reaction.
Do you think Dad has done the right thing, or at least the best thing?
Posted by: lesley153
Date: Feb 12 12
This has had 18m views and counting, so a few more won't hurt.
http://www.facebook.com/tommyjordaniii/posts/299559803434210 I thought about this for a while, as the parent and as the child, and my final thoughts were very different from my initial reaction.
Do you think Dad has done the right thing, or at least the best thing?
41 replies. On page 1 of 3 pages. 1 2 3
veronikkamarrz
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I loved this! I do think Dad was a little over the top,but the little Princess deserved what she got. Discharging a firearm in public is illegal, but that aside, I just worry that he'll end up buying her a new laptop within the month...She needs it for school! :) Reply #1. Feb 12 12, 9:48 AM |
supersal1 
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I don't know if it's the right thing or the best thing, but you could sense the hurt and frustration there. Hopefully they will be able to look back on it and laugh, say in about 20 years' time! Reply #2. Feb 12 12, 12:20 PM |
turbotude
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I say, 'Way to go, Dad!' This spoiled little brat has no clue as to what real life is about, and she certainly needs to learn a thing or two about respect! It didn't appear that dad used the firearm 'in public', therefore causing no threat to anyone. Princess 'needs' a laptop for school? Really? Well, she should be able to march her lazy caboose to the local library, if a computer is necessary. I hope the dad 'sticks to his guns' (pun intended) and does NOT buy Princess another laptop. Reply #3. Feb 12 12, 12:50 PM |
lesley153
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Sally, so did I - he looked like he was reeling, and only just holding himself together. He posted later in his Facebook page that he'd waited till he'd calmed down a bit, but realised later still that he had been far from calm, and would have done well to wait a lot longer. A lot of people got very excited about the guns, but I don't think the weapon was relevant. He could have used a hammer or a pickaxe or jumped up and down on it. It's a shame that he destroyed something that was still of use to make a point, but it was his point to be made. My first thought was that she was a nasty disrespectful ungrateful bit of nothing... and then I thought - she's 15. Most children have a very small world, and many will grumble about being asked to contribute to the running of the household, and say they're being turned into their parents' slaves. And anyway she's probably just showing off to her friends, thinking she could do it in private. - how did she get to be ungrateful, disrespectful? Surely it didn't just happen overnight? Why did it take this episode to make him explode? Something else I wondered was why he was using his history as a benchmark for her activity, or lack of. Is that fair? reasonable? Reply #4. Feb 12 12, 6:07 PM |
george48
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I read about this a few days ago in my local newspaper and thought,wow,he's really over the top,losing his temper like that,but after i watched this video, i thought he was entirely reasonable and coherent in his argument. It is one thing to grumble and complain when you're a teenager,but posting the comments online,curse words and all shows such a lack of respect for her parents which dumfounds me. Spoiled doesn't begin to describe the girl. Her appreciation for her lot in life is sadly lacking. Perhaps,as a method to remedy this,maybe a stint at a food bank or homeless shelter would make her realize that there are alot of people out there who would trade places with her situation. The use of a gun was a bit over the top,but he was in a field,far away from anybody,so any charges of reckless endangerment would be groundless. The comment about his wife telling to put a bullet in the laptop for her tells me she was in full agreement with him,which lends validity about his argument and he was right,don't try to hide stuff on your computer,especially if your father WORKS WITH COMPUTERS FOR A LIVING,goes to show how never to underestimate your parents,they know a lot more then you think. Reply #5. Feb 12 12, 7:27 PM |
| lesley153
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But did she spoil herself? Arranging for her to have a stint helping the homeless and hungry - perfect. Reply #6. Feb 12 12, 8:02 PM |
| veronikkamarrz
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Could this 'letter to parents' be one of those already composed, and you just fill in the names that apply to your situation? I don't mean it as an excuse, but it's kind of looking like that. To post anything on FB or any internet media and assume it's only going to be seen by your stupid friends is...(sorry) STUPID! The poor kid will (hopefully) grow and mature, and realize how awful this post was. Reply #7. Feb 12 12, 9:24 PM |
| supersal1
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Teenagers have always grumbled about their parents and exaggerated their woes, but I think posting it on facebook adds an extra dimension of hurt. He mentioned a stepmother as well as her mother, so presumably the parents were divorced. I wonder if there was some over-compensating at some point about this and that's how the spoiling occurred. It did sound as if it was a problem they'd been trying to get to grips with for some time. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the household. Reply #8. Feb 13 12, 2:46 AM |
| lesley153
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The clip has now had more than 21m views. I've been looking at the Facebook pages (young people call it stalking) of some of the people who said what a dreadful excuse for a human being Mr Jordan is. They may not have used exactly those words, but some of the words they used are a bit rude. So far they have all been young - mostly middle to late teens - and their pictures show their possessions. One boy had an electronic piano, two electric guitars, and mixing equipment. It seems that their anger and condemnation are in proportion to the amount of electronic equipment they possess. They must be living in fear! Reply #9. Feb 13 12, 9:00 AM |
| turbotude
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Surprise, surprise. What teenager is going to say that Dad was justified in his response? I agree with you Lesley, that the more gadgets possessed, the stronger the fear. I hope that more PARENTS are inspired by this video to stop letting their kids rule the roost. It's way past time to step up to the plate and set boundaries for kids. Yes, it takes time, effort and intestinal fortitude to provide discipline and guidance while our kids are growing up......but isn't it WORTH it? I've yet to see the extremely spoiled child who became a functioning, responsible adult. Reply #10. Feb 15 12, 2:08 PM |
| lesley153
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Approaching 27m views. Surprisingly, a lot of posts on his facebook page are from teenagers who said he did the right thing. I think it's sad that he doesn't seem to have had much success with the boundaries, and a shame that it all came to a head as it did. I also think it's sad that he couldn't just say "oh look, typical teenager, showing off to her friends," and perhaps have a quiet word with her, rather than humiliating her and showing himself up in public. But then I wasn't there, and I imagine he did what he knew he needed to do. Laugh about it in 20 years? I hope so! Reply #11. Feb 17 12, 9:14 PM |
| lesley153
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Oh this is interesting! I just found this video in response to Tommy Jordan's. The man who made this video, Greg Solomon, says that Jordan's is a cynical money-making hoax. Hmmm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9chNh_baJe0&feature=related Reply #12. Feb 17 12, 9:59 PM |
| veronikkamarrz
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You know, I don't think it's always 'spoiled children' that we're talking about. Kids usually get what their parents can give them. Sometimes just enough, and sometimes waaay too much. I still like the 'Dad' thing. ;) Reply #13. Feb 17 12, 10:08 PM |
| lesley153
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Spoilt children or parents living vicariously? "I want my child/ren to have the things I couldn't have?" Solomon says Jordan's goal was to make a viral video, he made up the things his daughter is supposed to have written, and he used a rubbish old laptop for his film. This could run and run! Reply #14. Feb 17 12, 10:13 PM |
| veronikkamarrz
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It could run and run...And I'm liking it! :) Reply #15. Feb 17 12, 10:24 PM |
| lesley153
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Views of the Jordan clip have just topped 27m, and the Solomon one has fewer than 16,000. Perhaps Mr Solomon could ask Mr Jordan for a few tips on shameless self-promotion? Perhaps the first suggestion I would make is to take the pipe out of your mouth, and stop the theatrical pauses. You may have the greatest message in the world, but not everyone is going to sit forever waiting for you to spit it out. Reply #16. Feb 18 12, 6:48 AM |
| lesley153
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I've just gone back to the original film and Mr Jordan's Facebook page. One poster agreed with what he'd done, and said he should have beaten her black and blue. Yes, that's really help! An increasing number are now saying that he needs to work on his parent-child communication skills, or asking: "She's a child - what's your excuse?" One boy posted this, which I liked: http://news.menshealth.com/why-you-shouldn%E2%80%99t-shoot-your-daughter%E2%80%99s-laptop/2012/02/15/ Reply #17. Feb 18 12, 7:08 AM |
| turbotude
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Sorry, but I think that article is a CROCK. Oohhh, tell me more. Reply #18. Feb 19 12, 2:06 PM |
Sprink1234
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Patience, patience, patience. Then be patient some more. Reply #19. Feb 27 12, 2:30 PM |
| lesley153
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Good thinking, Sprink. I'm guessing that would preclude punishing children for disrespect by filling their possessions full of bullets? I think you're right, patience is of the essence. So is not treating them like alien beings who came to earth for no other reason than to destroy your life. How does that sound? Reply #20. Feb 27 12, 3:16 PM |
41 replies. On page 1 of 3 pages. 1 2 3
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