A dad taught his son a valuable life lesson after he found out that he bullied a kid at school.
Patrick Forseth, a single dad, shared a viral TikTok video in January 2023 about his son Lincoln’s bullying incident.
Rather than just making Lincoln apologize, Patrick ensured he helped fix the problem, challenging the conventional approach many parents are advised to take.
“I got an email a few days ago from my 9-year-old son’s teacher that he had done a ‘prank’ to a fellow classmate, and it ended up embarrassing the classmate and hurt his feelings,” Patrick said on the video.
Patrick straightforwardly addressed bullying, emphasizing its impact on others.
“I don’t care who you are, that’s bullying,” he said, adding that doing something that embarrasses someone or causes harm is considered bullying.
He and Lincoln had a conversation, not a lecture, discussing fair punishment and empathizing with the victim.
Patrick then took responsibility for finding a solution, demonstrating genuine accountability.
He didn’t ask his son to apologize to him or the teacher.
Instead, Patrick taught his son a life lesson: “I told him that we have the opportunity to go back and make things right. We can’t take things back, but we can try to correct things and look for forgiveness.”
Lincoln went back to school to talk to the boy he pranked.
After talking to the boy, Lincoln discovered they both liked Pokémon.
So, he went home, cleaned up two of his best Pokémon cards, and gave them to the other boy as an apology and a clean case.
Lincoln later told his dad that the gesture touched the other boy, who hugged him in return.
“I just want to encourage all parents to talk to your kids,” Patrick concluded. “Let’s try to avoid just the swat on the butt [and] send them to their room. Doesn’t teach them anything.”
Patrick thinks kids learn best when they solve problems independently, preparing them for the real world.
Punishing and forcing apologies usually embarrass kids more.
With this gentler method, kids learn to make amends and understand their capabilities.
It’s unexpected, but mistakes can lead to significant personal growth.
What is gentle discipline?
Gentle discipline is a method parents use to guide their children, emphasizing respect, according to Verywell Family.
It involves using discipline, not punishment, like positive discipline.
Parents provide respectful consequences instead of physical punishment or shame to help kids learn a life lesson from their actions.
Gentle discipline is proactive, aiming to develop essential skills in children. Parents identify what their kids need and use discipline to teach them.
For example, parents might assign more chores if a child needs to learn responsibility.
The goal is to fill skill gaps, ensuring children grow into responsible adults.
Gentle discipline teaches kids good behavior.
For instance, if a child calls their brother names, they learn to use kind words instead of just getting disciplined.
Gentle discipline values a child’s feelings, teaching them how to manage emotions instead of dismissing them.
Parents discuss emotions seriously with kids, making them feel respected and heard.
They work together to solve problems, encouraging kids to share their thoughts.
Parents who use gentle discipline prioritize their children’s physical and emotional safety.
They encourage kids to consider risks and the safety of their actions.
When children are about to make a poor choice, parents explain the potential consequences.
Instead of relying on authority, they teach life lessons by explaining their reasoning to their children.
Overall, gentle discipline involves applying appropriate consequences for children’s actions, with different purposes for each.
For toddlers, redirection is often used instead of punishment.
Logical and natural consequences deter bad behavior, while time-outs help children manage emotions.
Positive reinforcement, like rewards and praise, encourages good behavior and choices.
Watch Patrick talk about how he taught him a valuable life lesson after learning he bullied a kid at school:
@thehalfdeaddad Replying to @sunshinyday1227 And then it’s my kid 🤦♂️😡 #endbullyingnow #talktoyourkidsmore #dadlifebestlife #singledadsover40 #teachyourchildren #ReadySetLift ♬ Get You The Moon – Kina
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