Little boy tried ordering his mom around at home but his dad’s swift response made sure it would never happen again
While some people see it as 'harsh' parenting, he perceives it as his duty to guide his son
When a father saw his son disrespecting his wife, he refused to ignore it just because he was a child. Instead, he stepped in, teaching him a powerful lesson about respect, boundaries, and accountability. While some, especially parents, may perceive it as "harsh" parenting, Jonah Lamour (@theintentionaldad_ on Instagram) explained exactly why he confronted his son, rather than letting it slip. He posted the video on March 25, and it has gained 1.1 million views so far.
The incident happened during a simple interaction at home when the toddler said something that didn’t sit right with him. "Go get it," Lamour's son ordered his mom. While the mother ignored the disrespect, thinking he was just a child, her husband stepped in to confront their son almost immediately. "Go get it? You don't speak to people like that... you don't tell people, 'Go get it.' You understand?" Lamour asked in a stern voice, looking straight into his toddler's eyes. Now, as a father, he knew his son did not intend to be mean, but he was fixated on the fact that his behavior was unacceptable.
"He isn’t fully aware of what he’s doing yet — that’s why it’s my responsibility to correct it now before the world corrects it later in a much harsher way," Lamour explained. Moreover, he shared that children don't instinctively learn about respect, and it is only through consistent correction that they begin to understand empathy and internalize respectful behavior.
With overwhelming daily responsibilities, Lamour said he or his wife sometimes overlooks certain things and responds to their son in not-so-ideal ways. However, there is one thing they never fail to do: "We step in for each other. We cover each other’s blind spots. We correct together — that’s intentional parenting," he wrote in the caption.
Parents have different ways of disciplining their kids. A telephone survey of 2068 parents of young children (between the ages of 4 and 35 months) found that while 90% talk to their kids and try to explain things to them peacefully, 65% of parents take away their toys or favorite things as punishment. Likewise, 67% of respondents' parents yell at their kids, and 26% go so far as to spank their kids. Now, if you think of the consequences of each parental reaction, physical or verbal punishment may harm the child. This is perhaps why Lamour chose to explain things to his son instead of scolding or punishing him.
Meanwhile, praising Lamour, @nerddaddypaints commented, "There’s nothing wrong with this whatsoever. "You could hear the love in your voice. Plus, unfortunately, these are lessons. They have to learn because the next person might not be as nice as Mom and Dad. Respect, man." Similarly, @noahadoniswalker_mami_1129 shared, "Nothing harsh about this, and I hope you told him how to ask for something because kids don’t really know at this age... My son is 4 years old, and sometimes he forgets to say 'please' and 'thank you,' so we don’t do what he’s asking until he says 'please' or 'thank you,' and at times we still have to remind him. But 97% of the time, he remembers his manners."
You can follow Jonah Lamour (@theintentionaldad_) on Instagram for more parenting content.
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