Unlikely Source of Parenting Advice, Part 2

Yes, Gene Simmons.

For all what mainstream Western society might question about his lifestyle choices (hasn't married the mother of his children, number of women he's slept with, performing on the Michael Bolton-penned "Forever" among them), the man has his head on straight when it comes to raising children.

This short clip addresses his basic philosophy:



It's refreshing and shocking to hear such a basic common sense philosophy. Simmons says much of the same in an interview last year with Macleans.

Discipline has become a bad word, as it's incorrectly interchanged with punishment. However, in the truest sense of the term:

to discipline means to instruct a person to follow a particular code of conduct or "order." In the field of child development, discipline refers to methods of modeling character and of teaching self-control and acceptable behavior" (e.g teaching a child to wash her/his hands before meals). Here, 'washing hands before meals' is a particular pattern of behaviour, and the child is being disciplined to adopt that pattern.

It's ridiculous for me to make any comment about parenting - obviously, I am not a parent. However, in my research, I have observed many parents and I have made notes on which methods have worked and which methods haven't. The determination of success or failure of the different styles can be easily assessed: Look at the children.

When you look at how well Gene Simmons' kids have turned out, it's hard to argue with him.

(I don't know that I would argue with him anyway - he scares me.)