Spare the rod and spoil the child? What other quotes make you cringe?

Question

"Spare the rod and spoil the child"

I've seen this as a magnet on fridges for too many pansy, indulgent mothers who spoil their F*ckin terror children. Don't get me wrong, some kids are great, but I hate seeing mothers taking this quote too seriously and doing a sh*tty job of raising their kids by letting them be spoiled. I know others may interpret what "spoiled" means but for me "spoiled" means letting the brats scream and cry in public places without reprimanding them.

What other cheesy quotes bother you?

Answer 1

My favorite quote is, "That's what she said."

Another one is "Use the rod, beat the child."

Answer 2

You have mis-interpreted the phrase Spare the rod.... it is actually meant as a pro-spanking phrase. Some ignorant people use it to justify spanking your child and also have the nerve to use the Bible to back up their misinformed logic.

What my pet hate is people who call children "brats" and think that violence is required in order to "control" or "teach" children.

And I can't stand it when people say "f*ckin terror children" - or similar... there is no such thing... only bad parents who get frustrated because their spanking doesn't work!

Answer 3

"Children should be seen and not heard."

I hate this quote. Everyone has an opinion and a right to it. Just like everyone has a right to disagree with your opinion.

Answer 4

"rule of thumb" this relates to the fact that men could beat their wives as long as the stick wasnt thicker than their thumb...blah

Answer 5

Spare the rod spoil the child wasnt meant to say its ok to not discipline, to go ahead and spoil.  It was meant to be a warning that if you dont discipline, you will have spoiled kids.  I guess people turned the meaning around and used it as an excuse to have spoiled children, like its something they are proud of.

My hated phrase is 'Because I said so'.  Now, yes, there will be times when we all say it, and times when it is necessary because you are the parent, and they are the child, or maybe you literally cant tell them why.  But I think it is way over used as an excuse to be lazy...  lazy in either you just dont want to do it or lazy in that you just dont want to take the time to explain.

Answer 6

I'm confused as to you reason for being so revaulted by this verse.

It says spare the rod, spoil the child. No AND! So it actually means if you don't spank you child you are spoiling them, so if your child is screaming in public you should spank their little rearends! LOL I'm sorry I just think it funny that it got so mixed up.

Answer 7

yes you have mis-interpreted that phrase like others have said and I agree with what others have said as well. The phrase means discipline your children or they will be spoiled. Some parents like to use it as an excuse to spank as if spanking were the only method of discipline.

I hate the phrase "you can't have your cake and eat it too" Sure I can!

Answer 8

I agree with chattymom4.  What's the point in having cake if you can't eat it?  Defeats the whole purpose of cake.  I HATE that phrase.

Answer 9

"Spare the rod, spoil the child" is from a 16th century epic poem called 'Hudibras'.  In the poem, the 'child' is romantic love & the reader is actually being encouraged to spoil the child.  What I hate is when people attribute that phrase to the bible and use it to justify spanking as something that God encourages.  

Other phrases that make me cringe...  Hmmm....  I'm sure that I've got some, but I can't think of even one right now.

Answer 10

Let me tell you about "letting the brats scream and cry in public places without reprimanding them".

I'm assuming you do not have children, because the best parents usually don't. If you did have children, even if you are Mary Poppins, then you would completely understand exactly what it is like to be in a public place with a toddler throwing a tantrum, and many eyes watching and judging the devil mother to see what she is going to do.   No matter what you do, you can't win.  They think you are a terrible mother if you reprimand your child, you must be abusive and that's why your child is acting out.  If you choose not to react, and just let your child have the tantrum, then you are "spoiling your ******* terror children".

Well, I guess I am going to have a ******* terror child, and guess what?  I really don't care what anyone thinks about my child rearing methods.  Bring on the criticism.

Oh yeah.  And the quote that bothers me the most?  "The more things change the more they stay the same".  And "sleep like a baby".