A radio advertisement that is meant to offer guidance to parents who lose their cool with their children, is aired at peak listening times. In it, Karen calls 911 and informs listeners, local, regional and elsewhere, that she could "kill" her son because he "stole" some money from her.
Even though the ad does not say why her son resorted to such action, Karen goes on to say that she has already given him a "good cut-tail" for his misdeed. Mind you, none of us really know the difference between nor the effect on a child's psyche of a "good" and/or a "bad" cut-tail! Surprisingly, in relating her plight, Karen comes up with a seemingly acceptable but untried solution.
Could the intent of the ad been projected differently? Would the intended listening audience be more receptive to the ad, for the right reasons, had it been worded differently?Based on Karen's language and tone, it appears as though she needs professional help and guidance if she is to follow through with her yet untried solution to what is not a one-and-done challenge.
Unfortunately, Karen is not alone. There are many "Karens" in our society who would benefit from the services of social workers who are trained to handle stressful family situations.Many families, parents and children need professional help if they are to cope with the many stressors of daily living.The intent here is not to shoot the messenger. However, calling a spade a spade can cause much undetected and peripheral damage.
John Henry,
Petit Valley