Michael5000 is talking with his friend -- let's call her Sara. Sara was born in a very distant country, and married someone from her own ethnic community. She has an extremely cute three year old.
Michael5000: It was fun to see your little girl here the other day.
Sara: Thank you.
Michael5000: Everyone was talking about how well-behaved she is!
Sara: Oh, I have to keep telling her to be good all the time. "Don't walk so fast! Don't walk so slow!"
Michael5000: Well, you must be doing a good job then, because she seems really...
Sara: You know what I tell her?
Michael5000: Um, no, what?
Sara: I tell her that if she isn't good, the Americans will steal her and take her home with them.
Michael5000: [speechless]
Ulp.
ReplyDeleteOnce someone said to me, "You can raise your children with Guilt, Shame, or Fear." Oh, thanks for the tip.......
NICE!
ReplyDelete(I know quite a few people who have adopted children from far away countries. So I can so see that threat working!)
Michael5000 .... IS the bogeyman.
ReplyDeletebogey bogey bogey....
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking this is a child you won't be swinging around by her ankles as she laughs gleefully.
ReplyDeleteI would think the Americans would be more likely to steal her if she IS good. Who would want to steal a brat?
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of L's experience in Ghana - there was a mother in the market in her village where a child was crying uncontrollably. The mother made a slash-across-throat motion, and the child stopped. L. asked one of her friends what the hell had just happened, and was informed that the mother had told the child that if she didn't behave that the white lady would take her away and kill her.
ReplyDelete@Ben: Excellent reasoning. If a bit disturbing.
ReplyDelete@DrSchnell: That wouldn't be Mrs. DrSchnell's usual M.O. as I understand it. But then, travel changes one.
My sister in law had her children convinced there was a Spanking Man in every restaurant, ready to punish poorly behaved children.
ReplyDeleteAhh, the cheery lies we use to prop up our society :)
Hey - whatever it takes to keep the kid from screaming in the middle of public places! =P
ReplyDeleteTravel changes one indeed. =P
Ah, yes, Spanking Man - the considerably less popular of the arts festivals held in the Nevada desert every year......
ReplyDeleteWait, Spanking Man isn't real?
ReplyDeleteYikes! No wonder the kid behaves well!
ReplyDelete