Should Parents Teach Kids To “Push Back”? [AUDIO]
Hot topic this morning on the show. My family was watching my daughter cheer at a youth football game over the weekend. We were in the stands, my 5 year old son was off to the side playing with some of the other little kids, when my dad saw one of the kids push him down. After the game, my dad told me about what happened. He said he didn't like that my son just sat on the ground and cried instead of getting up and pushing the other kid back. He said if he allows himself to be pushed around at 5, he'll end up getting pushed around for the rest of his life.
My father basically thinks I should teach my son that if someone pushes him, he needs to push back. My dad's kind of old school. I explained to him that it doesn't really work like that anymore. These days, kids are taught to first "use their words". Then, if that is unsuccessful, to take their problem to an adult. My dad disagrees with that philosophy. I think his quote was, "or just push the kid back and end it right then and there."
A couple of the callers from the show this morning had differing viewpoints. Take a listen: