Dad uses Facebook to teach daughter a lesson.

[GeneralKrunk]

Also >an IT guy buying software.. my sides hurt from laughing.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

While a bit excessive, I would have given the laptop to charity or someone I knew who really needed it, I think the issue with the gun is silly. He fired shots into the ground in a large field. No one was at risk of being hurt, so just chill.

 

[Treblaine]

I don't care how he destroyed it. The fact is that he DID!

The firearm was used safely with a correct backdrop and it shouldn't matter if he used a gun as the tool to destroy it, or a sledge hammer. Actually, pulling a trigger is surely less violent than powerful exerting swings of a heavy hammer.

I have not seen what actually warranted such a punishment: I do not know either WHAT she posted nor the context and it doesn't matter. I consider such a punishment reasonable and it's up to to parent to deliver it. It's parents prerogative.

PS: this is far FAR better than ever physically striking your child. This is merely taking away an extraordinary privilege of owning her own portable personal computer, and removed in the most profound way.

 

[mellemhund]

@all the liberls on here

Britain is in Chaos because of the unruly youth like her the riots and hell people being knifed kids needs to be hit it does them no harm aslong as they fully understand so he did the right thing in my mind cause the kid has to learn the hard way eventually this was the last straw she never listened or obeyed the rules she was warned time and time again that it'd be worse and she just had to have that go in conclusion she got what she bloody deserved and idc what the liberal wankers say the country is in hell cause of them

EDIT

BEFORE ANYONE miss qoutes me like last time read the LIKE HER bit didn't blame her for the riots i blamed kids LIKE HER

She's acting like a perfectly normal teenager. Old people have always blamed the troubles of the world on them. IF you think that anyone acting like her has anything to do with the riots in England, then you do not understand the first thing about how societies work.

Harsh punishments handed out long time after a warning does little to nothing to prevent actions. But both politicians and parents are too uninformed to try any other thing. The dad in this case have pent up anger that he let loose instead of actually doing a job of raising a kid.

You are on the same level. "hitting kids will teach them not to be violent" If you can't see the problem there, then you are beyond help. Raising kids should be done not with threats, but with firm boundaries, which make them feel safe. Letting them do something some of the time and then suddenly punishing them hard will make them anxious and violent, diminishing their ability to interact properly with others.

Parents need to learn to parent. Politicians need to listen to experts instead of going on gut feelings. And then we'll begin to actually see a positive change. And it all start with you!

 

[Irridium]

Is he an asshole for shooting the laptop, sure. He is also my hero for teaching his self entitled ***** of a daughter a lesson.

This, this, a thousand times this. Sometimes, you need a bit of tough love - and when you've got a modern-day self-entitled ***** to sort out, you've got to be very tough.

I'm gonna have to go with this.

I mean, I would have used a sledgehammer, but I suppose a gun works just as well.

 

[BOOM headshot65]

Um...I dont see whats wrong...at all. In truth, this seems like something MY dad would do, and like something I would do.

 

[Dastardly]

What is wrong with you people? This man just put 9 rounds into a stationary object because he was angry. Let me repeat myself; This man just unloaded a -gun- into a computer because he was angry. He has every right to punish his daughter, but this shows complete and total lack of control and discipline over himself by using a firearm to teach a lesson.

Not in the video I watched. Was he upset at his daughter? Absolutely. But he didn't "shoot the laptop because he was angry." He shot the laptop to make a point. Not "because he was angry." You're seeing "Oh no! Gun!" and automatically assigning villain status to the guy. He used it in a safe manner, in a safe place, and no one else was around. He didn't use (or even threaten to use) the gun on any living creature.

He used a firearm while teaching a lesson, not to teach a lesson. He used it "as a tool."

His entire point goes out the window when he shows how childish (Retaliating to her internet post--it's an internet post for crying out loud) with the use of a gun.

He wasn't replying "to an internet post." He was replying to the CONTENT of that internet post. And that content? It's from his daughter. She lives under his roof, on his dime, and then uses his computer to voice her objectively incorrect view on how things are in her life. And, as far as she's concerned, she did it publicly.

He made his response public as well. That's part of the lesson -- air everyone's dirty laundry, and your stains will be laid bare, too. And he took a lot of time to make it extremely and abundantly clear why he was angry, and why he was destroying the laptop.

And then he destroyed it, as he said he would. He used safe ammunition (hollow points will stay in the target, rather than traveling through it), and he did it to make a few things clear:

1. If you don't appreciate it, it will be taken away.
2. Sometimes "taken away" is not temporary.
3. She still has a lot of other good things in her life, so she'd better turn herself around.

She's just a couple short years from hitting the real world. That means, as a parent, he has a very limited time in which to teach a few incredibly important lessons... unless we think he should just leave it, and let the real world teach her? Notice that this man didn't kick her out, he didn't destroy anything of hers, he explained the situation thoroughly... the only oddball thing he did was shoot the laptop, which was a calculated move for "shock value" to make sure the message sticks.

His job, as a parent, is not to make her happy and comfortable. However, it's obvious that he WANTS to do this, as evidenced by all the very, very nice things she has been given. His job is to prepare her for the real world. He's taking that job seriously, because he cares about whether or not she "gets it."

Nothing he did was dangerous. Nothing he did was threatening. You might think his methods are a bit heavy-handed, but there's absolutely no justification for painting the guy as dangerous or threatening in any way.

 

[GeneralKrunk]

seriously its none of his damn buisness

 

[IamLEAM1983]

I'm not annoyed that he overreacted to a Facebook post. I'm not annoyed that he obviously invaded her privacy by going onto her browser, loading up Facebook and looking at her posts because he doesn't trust her. I'm annoyed that he's got such issues that he's not facing.

The chores that she lists aren't normal chores for a teenager. I can't think of many teenagers who are asked to spread manure across their gardens or asked to run a mop or brush through their house everyday when they come in. I suspect that the fertiliser is like a couple of times a year, otherwise it's weird that she'd be doing it regularly into late winter. But the cleaning the floors thing sounds weird if they have a cleaning lady. He says she's not a cleaning lady but he just says she's a lady that comes in and clean their house. Well that's a cleaning lady. If the thing he says after that clarifies something, I don't know what it is because his accent was way too strong for me to understand then. But yeah, they're a cleaning lady. It's like saying "Just because that guy bakes doesn't mean they're baker". It clearly does.

On to the bigger points. He's spoilt her. He obviously has. He just spent $130 on her upgrading her laptop. Which he then goes and shoots, a clear misuse of a gun, and then expects money off her for both the upgrade and the bullets he just wasted. Rather than donating it like a previous poster says, he just lets off some steam by destroying a perfectly functioning laptop.

He also complains she doesn't have a job. If he wants her to get one, why hasn't he forced her into getting one like "You either get a job or I'm not letting you have your phone and laptop"? It's obvious he even thinks of her as a materialist because that's all he takes away from her. Objects. Nothing like saying "You're grounded, you can't go see your friends". That speaks volumes about her.

He also says "Why should I pay you for chores?". Well if he's going to ask her to do this sort of stuff then... yeah. Pay her. Give her ten dollars a week. Why? Because if the rewards she's being given are upgrades to laptops, she's being spoilt. However, if she's given the money and then later does it herself, she'll feel like she's earned something. Nothing feels like a better reward than buying something yourself that you saved up for. I don't know how to explain it but it just is.

The worst thing about this is the video is sadistic to the core. He's hurt that she posts something on Facebook about him and his wife but here's the thing. Nobody pays attention to Facebook. It might be the talk for about a week tops but then it's gone. Dusted over, never to be heard from again. Sure, I'd be angry if somebody posted hurtful stuff about me on the internet but it's not as widespread as people think. Who cares about one 15 year old girl annoyed with her chores? It's so pointless. But rather than talking to her about it, he prints off her post, reads it aloud in a video and shoots her laptop about ten times and expects money for damages. He then says he's going to post it to her wall where she won't be able to see it but all her friends will. So not only does he know it's going to hurt her when she finds out what he's done to her stuff but it'll also embarrass her at her school when other people find out. It's wrong on some many levels, I'd be tempted to call it abuse if went one or two steps further.

tl;dr This girl will now grow up to resent her father because he blew his fuse at something so minor rather than talking it out.

This. Taking your anger out on a piece of tech is just as childish as mouthing off at your parents on Facebook. As far as I'm concerned, real and honest parental discipline invovlves talking it out and, if necessary, grounding her. Destroying what's otherwise a perfectly usable piece of tech is a fairly stupid and knee-jerk reaction.

Not to mention that he goes on to post this on YouTube *and* his daughter's Facebook Wall - repeating the harmful situation that started this whole mess.

Being a parent isn't about getting back at your child; it's about setting a higher and better example. It's about being the best you can possibly be so your child grows up to *want* to at least strive towards that ideal. He's clearly not doing that.

Instead, he's indulging in a rather sophomoric parental Id, and the YouTube comments that go along with the video are fairly appalling. As if guns were decent tools for parenting, and as if the ownership of guns was a cornerstone of American identity.

 

[Itsthefuzz]

Never seen someone so hardheaded in my life. I'd have better luck arguing with a wall.

Translation: I was just told a variety of reasons why my argument is flawed and won't try to counter any of the points made because I can't.

OT: A little excessive to make a point? Sure. I think that's fair to say.

But it sure as hell makes a point.

 

[ChildishLegacy]

There's too many people empathizing with the daughter in this thread, and I'm not even going to go into why people are making such a massive meal out his use of a firearm (even though I'm anti-gun ownership, seriously, he was just using it to make a point)

Clearly a lot of people here are in their 'rebellious teen' stage, and think that any parents punishment is evil. This is the same thing as banning the use of a laptop (which I'm sure a lot of parents do), but he just did it in a manner to show he meant business this time. I'd never be so ungrateful to my parents as to take them for granted like that, literally using what he just spent a lot of his money on to complain about how much of a terrible person he is. Although I think he has quite a harsh parenting style, its his choice.

Also, she is STUPID to do the exact same thing she had been punished for 3 months ago, having full knowledge that her dad could see it like he did before, and knowing that he said there would be consequences if it happened again. At least don't post it for everybody to see if you're going to be an ungrateful daughter.

 

[Treblaine]

@all the liberls on here

Britain is in Chaos because of the unruly youth like her the riots and hell people being knifed kids needs to be hit it does them no harm aslong as they fully understand so he did the right thing in my mind cause the kid has to learn the hard way eventually this was the last straw she never listened or obeyed the rules she was warned time and time again that it'd be worse and she just had to have that go in conclusion she got what she bloody deserved and idc what the liberal wankers say the country is in hell cause of them

EDIT

BEFORE ANYONE miss qoutes me like last time read the LIKE HER bit didn't blame her for the riots i blamed kids LIKE HER

She's acting like a perfectly normal teenager. Old people have always blamed the troubles of the world on them. IF you think that anyone acting like her has anything to do with the riots in England, then you do not understand the first thing about how societies work.

Harsh punishments handed out long time after a warning does little to nothing to prevent actions. But both politicians and parents are too uninformed to try any other thing. The dad in this case have pent up anger that he let loose instead of actually doing a job of raising a kid.

You are on the same level. "hitting kids will teach them not to be violent" If you can't see the problem there, then you are beyond help. Raising kids should be done not with threats, but with firm boundaries, which make them feel safe. Letting them do something some of the time and then suddenly punishing them hard will make them anxious and violent, diminishing their ability to interact properly with others.

Parents need to learn to parent. Politicians need to listen to experts instead of going on gut feelings. And then we'll begin to actually see a positive change. And it all start with you!

Removing privileges is a "harsh" punishment? She's lucky to have any computer AT ALL! I didn't have a personal computer when I was 15 and the computer I did have access to I didn't use to bad mouth my parents for the basic personal chores I had to do. I was raised not to have my parents ask for a coffee/tea when they come home from a hard day of work, I knew to offer to boil the kettle and make them a tea.

This parent set firm boundaries and they were broken with the consequences clear enough.

He never hit her. Corporal punishment isn't really relevant here.

 

[zefiris]

Typical american father: Unable to handle dissent, immediately resorts to violence instead of actual arguments, big on humilation, complete failure to actually treat expensive things as, you know, expensive (which is further education FAIL).

This is why the daughter is rotten (if she even is: Considering what a douchebag the dad is, this sounds doubtful). Complete education failure on part of the parents, which the father demonstrates nicely here.

Obviously she has no respect for him when he reacts like a 4 year old throwing a tantrum.

 

[Edible Avatar]

snipith [/qoute]
Neither of us have ever had a child in their life. But hey, if you're allowed to talk like you have a clue what a "good parent" should do these days, then I think I'll jump on board as well.

A lot of people seem to be focusing on what he did as though it was the best possible way for the man to make a point.

It wasn't.

Making a youtube video which not only berates her but involves firing several rounds into the girl's laptop with a gun is not, by any means, the kind of thing any reasonable, rational or responsible parent would do.

If the girl has been getting away with her crap for long enough to be able to compile a list of her parent's day-to-day complaints, then the fault doesn't lie with the girl, not entirely, anyways.

Everyone seems to be approaching this particular situation as though the parents have been saddled with some horrible gremlin, but someone doesn't start acting this bratty unless the parents have failed to step in at some point.

Now, every single complaint the guy has about her attitude is 100% reasonable. I'm not disputing that. But for christ's sake, his daughter didn't end up like this for no reason. At one point he says "now i warned you, months ago..." that's hardly pro-active parenting, is it? That's hardly dealing with the issue at hand.

So she's had a warning a few months ago, and has since been able to carry on with the same shit every single day. Hell, we even know her father actually upgraded her laptop for her. Why didn't he say "cut this shit out, because you don't get your laptop until you do" ages ago? how did this go on so long if he's the hard-nosed parent he makes out he is? Why on earth did he do a favour to his daughter by upgrading her laptop for her when he thinks she acts like a brat? How can he be indignant when she carries on this way for so long? there would have been a point at which her parents should have said "I guess we have no-one to blame but ourselves for letting her get away with this for so long, time to do something about it...."

And then there's his method of finally dealing with it. Instead of acting like a grown man and confronting his daughter, outlining his complaints, making it VERY clear she abides by his rules and the confiscating her laptop until she complies (or even selling it + anything else he bought her that she thinks she has a right to have), he instead creates the kind of "take that" public response more suited to a teenager.

I have nothing against him letting his punishment be public, but the manner in which he does this is just reactionary. It isn't "OK, I'm going to straighten out my daughter" or "Now I'm going to let her know just how hard we worked for her".

Instead, goes on youtube. he begins by making an argument which would sound entirely reasonable if he just made said argument to her face, alongside her mother. Getting the girl's stepmother in on it would be handy as well

And then... for fuck's sake, he shoots several rounds into her laptop and then sits down, visibly upset, and...

...I don't even know. This isn't rational or responsible, he marred a perfectly reasonable speech to his daughter by doing it via the internet and then acting like a child. It seems like this guy is just at war with his own kid, or that he doesn't know how to take responsbility for her, and has to resort to petty actions like this to spite her as opposed to laying down the rules and setting any kind of reasonable, admirable example to her.

This wasn't discipline, this was him acting petty because he couldn't control himself. That's without even going into the issue of an angry, upset grown man using a loaded gun for an act of childish vengeance....

No wonder she keeps acting out...

I appreciate your detailed response (Yes, i read the whole thing), but I think his actions are still justified. He bought her $130 worth of upgrades (probably the laptop itself too), then she goes to facebook and bashes her family in detail. The point that this guy was making is that this is unacceptable behavior (posting details and insults about her family to the public), and as a result, you are going to be given a punishment that you will remember. Hell, she lives with her father, she should know his standards and what is considered crossing the line (at least i did, don't know about you guys).

Shooting it? That gets the point across effectively, and shows that he's not messing around. Selling it or giving it away would'nt make as much as a impact. Trauma, harsh as it sounds, leaves a lasting impression on the brain, kinda hard to forget. (Think about it like this, the whole thing would'nt have hit the front page of Youtube if he gave it or sold it away).

 

[Xanthious]

The guy is crazy, he copmpletely overreacts to his daughter beeing a stupid teenager and people like him, or generally people who wear cowboy hats shouldnt be allowed to have a gun. Actually nobody who isnt there to protect people should carry a gun.

edit: after reading the comments here im sure to be careful, when/if i come to america.

Eh guns are a lot less prevalent than people would have you think in the states. I have a concealed carry permit and have made use of it every single day since I got it. If I go to lunch or to eat or where ever and happen to have my MOB (Middle of the Back) Holster on it's horribly uncomfortable when I go to sit down and I have to take it off. Believe me I get all kinds of funny looks when people notice a holstered gun sitting on the table.

The bottom line is most people in the states are squeamish about guns too. I grew up around them. I learned to shoot before I learned to ride a bike and I've carried a gun since I was legally allowed. However, I am a huge exception to the norm. Most people in the states want nothing to do with them.

 

[Archroy]

The daughter has presumably been raised by him and whatever significant others he may have had, so I believe that they're to blame if the daughter is acting up. He has also escalated the situation out of all proportion.

I don't know how many friends of the daughter saw the offending post, but as I write, the youtube clip is at almost 13.5 million views. It's airing your dirty laundry on an epic scale and somewhat akin to being pelted with rotten fruit in the village square.

With regards to the destruction of the laptop, I personally believe that the method is irrelevant.

It's petty and spiteful to destroy an expensive item to make a point in that manner. It would have been better to give the computer to a deserving child who could have made good use of it, or a charity.

Shooting the thing on youtube makes him appear a self-aggrandizing prick.

 

[Agow95]

You see, this is why it's illegal to own a handgun in Britain, because of idiots.