When your teacher punishes you, it's bad. When your parents punish you, it's the worst.
My children have been relentlessly bullied for years, but it feels like there's not much I can do as a parent. Teachers try to facilitate a safe learning environment, but children will always find a way to poke fun at their peers.
The consequences don't seem to be a big deal to most of them, and I think that's because they're enforced by teachers. Now, if parents are the ones punishing their children for bullying, I think their attitude will definitely start to change.
One father from Virginia took matters in his own hands after finding out his 10-year-old son was bullying children on the school bus.
He stressed that parents must take initiative when they know their kids are bullies, because that's how we can prevent serious school issues from happening, like school shootings.
He posted a video of his punishment on social media, and people have strong opinions over his parenting tactics...
Bryan Thornhill's son was kicked off the bus for three days for bullying, and instead of the father driving him to school, he forced his boy to run a mile to school for a week - rain or shine.
He started off the video by saying, "Hey everyone, welcome to 'you better listen to your dad 2018.' My son has finally got in trouble on the bus enough to where he was kicked off the bus for three days because he was being a little bully which I do not tolerate, can't stand."
The Facebook Live video had more than 1.5 million views, and hundreds of comments weighing in on Bryan's parenting advice.
"The fact there you're so excited about this going viral is pretty shitty as well. 'Oh boy son you may just have to keep running to school as I film you from the car so we can keep getting the views!! Your gonna make us famous,'" one Facebook user commented.
"I ... can almost bet everybody one thing he won't grow up to be a school shooter ... cause I feel that it all starts with parenting [when] children have to fear and respect authority," another user wrote.
However, the father of two isn't swayed by other people's negative opinions, and believes what he's doing is right.
"If you get your panties in a wad seeing a kid jog, well I feel sorry for you," he said. "You probably need a lap or two."
According to the Daily Mail, Bryan said the punishment has been working, and his son's behavior has improved so much that his teachers are also pleased with the result.
"He hasn't got in trouble at school this week, whereas last week he was absolutely out of his mind," Bryan explained in his video.
"This right here is just old school simple parenting. This ain't killing nobody. This is a healthy way for a child to be punished, because, you know, it's exercise. You don't have to kill them, you don't have to beat them. It sucks for them but sometimes it teaches them."
By the end of the video, he stresses this to parents: "Teach your kids, don't be a friend, be a parent. That's what children need these days."
