Parents ... STEP UP & TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

To every parent reading this ...

When your children are acting up and you see a police officer nearby - STOP TELLING YOUR CHILDREN THAT HE OR SHE IS THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO TAKE THEM AWAY IF THEY CONTINUE TO MISBEHAVE. That is one of the WORST things you could do to a child and it only goes to make a cop's job harder to do.

You see, if you tell that child (between the ages of 3 to 10) that the man in that uniform is the one who is going to "lock them up" or "take them away from mommy," then all you are doing is building a sense of both fear of and resentment for the police and the authority they represent in society. You're also surrendering the authority you have as parents - not to that cop, but to the uniform they are wearing and (again) the authority they represent.

As your child becomes a teenager, he or she will exhibit that resentment mentioned - not only for the authority of the law and the officers who enforce it - but the authority you may try to suddenly begin trying to lay down at home. Additionally, if your child is out in the street lost or in some kind of other trouble, is he or she likely to run for help to the very person you spent years telling them would take them away and lock them up?

Not likely.

Parents ... if your kid is acting up out in public and you see a cop walking around in the mall or at trying to enjoy his or her lunch at a restaurant, don't ruin his or her lunch pointing him or her out to your child. Leave that cop alone and DISCIPLINE YOUR OWN DAMN CHILD.

IT IS NOT THE JOB OF THAT POLICE OFFICER TO DISCIPLINE YOUR BAD ASS KID! STOP TRYING TO "GAIN YOUR CHILD'S ACCEPTANCE" AND "START DEMANDING YOUR CHILD'S RESPECT!"