What do you think?

Question

Supose you are the father. Your birthday is tomorrow. Your son gives you today a touching bday gift and the weekly school report which is very bad ( 2 tests failed and behaivour complains) Normaly you would punish him severly for it. Will the touching gift make you not do that ?

He is retaking in summer school 3 subjects he failed . The bad report is due to not trying hard enough and just messing around.

Answer 1

Regardless of the gift, I would still punish him. He is trying to suck up and stay out of trouble. Wouldn't fly with me. Nice try!

Answer 2

The birthday present and the school report are two separate issues (even though he might have given you the gift in an attempt to soften your response to the bad report).

Thank him sincerely for the gift and punish him just as you would have otherwise.

Answer 3

Dont go easy on the school report. Touching gifts are great, but the best gift YOU can give him is to be consistent with value to education. A good education is the first stepping stone to a good life.

Answer 4

I'd still punish him, but not as severely. He was probably hoping that the gift would make up for the poor report. I'd definitely still punish him and try to get him to see how the messing around caused the poor grades---try to get him to see that he can do much better...

Make sure he knows how much the gifts means to you though.

Answer 5

As a single parent of three teenagers, that is TOTAL BRIBERY.
The timing couldn't have been more perfect on their part.

I say smile, hug, kiss, and thank for the gift.
Wait a little while to "digest" the school report, even wait until the day AFTER your birthday if you wish.
Go back and present your position about the school work after wards, stand firm, and even remove privileges that he has to earn back as you continue to see improvement.

Anything less is bad parenting. Think about it ... do you really want your son thinking that he can turn in half *** work to his boss and still keep his job? No. As a parent, you're training him for REAL LIFE. If you are too soft about it, you're doing him a disservice.

Happy Birthday, and I wish you well on your results.

Answer 6

As before, I'd say that it shouldn't factor in. Why should the problems you're having be excused by a touching gift? How does that help you? And that's ultimately your father's responsibility to make sure you don't grow up to be a jacktush.

Answer 7

Just because your son gave you a gift for your bday to make up for his bad grades & behaviour does not mean you should not punish him, because if you do not punish him because you gave you a touching gift he will think that he can get away with it.

Answer 8

I would say thank you for the gift, and let him know I love him dearly.

Then, I would let him know that the "other side of Dad" is having his turn to come out. I would discipline him for not trying harder. He probably got you the gift a day early to "soften the blow". Don't let him get one over on you. Let him know you love him and want the best for him, loved the gift and his love, but now you are showing YOUR love by caring about his life.

Answer 9

I'd say he is a pretty smart little booger! He got you good on that one. Punish him first for the report. Fawn over the gift later in the day. Wow! Even I wasn't THAT smart!

Answer 10

No, his education is much more important than a gift. Let him know you really appreciate the gift but his education is important to you and you have to give him the proper punishment for his grades.