Options and Opinions

Let's start with a basic fact;

Option: NOUN - the power or right of choosing

Now, let's move on to an opinion; several commercials have been streaming since November, promoting the items of different stores. And they all end with the same caption 'The naughty list isn't an option'. This campaign REALLY peeves me! That's saying something in a season where it takes a lot to drag me down. But, oh, do they get under my skin!

Yes, it's commercialism and the ad writers will say anything to get people to buy their merch, but this mentality that they're selling... I'm sorry to say that it's already here. There are WAY too many parents out there that don't exercise their power to chose to punish their kids. In their eyes, their kid's too perfect to punish. They don't want to risk their child crying to thinking less of them... all because they acknowledge that their behavior is unacceptable or inappropriate. Or worse, some parents don't want the 'hassle' of disciplining their children.

Newsflash: discipline and punishment are things COMPLETELY within your parental power to do! 'The naughty list isn't an option'?!!!!? You know what else isn't an option? Having a child grow up in the absence of personal responsibility or respect to the world around them.

Am I saying that a lack of discipline is a lack of love? Not at all. Children inspire a very deep and steeled love within their parents. But parents shouldn't let that love cloud them from using the harsher methods to mold their children into thriving adults. What kind of citizens will they be if they're raised without recognizing consequences, or general decency towards others?

And now we've got media outlets telling parents that this natural (and needed) right is NOT an option? No thank you!

Parents, do your children a huge favor and remind them that coal is always an option for their stocking. It won't break them; rather build them up.

(P.S. Nineteen sunsets until the sun rises on Christmas morning!)