Every mum has the fear that someday, their kids will know they don't make good on threats.
It's all the more worrying when your kid challenges you to turn the car around, or shows indifference to starving children in sub-Saharan countries.
One dad, however, is going viral after he made good on his promise to embarrass his chatterbox son.
Texas dad Bradley Howard was warned by his father Brad that if he got one more call about his son's constant messing in physics class, he would sit in on his class.
Sister Mollie was revelling in the unusual punishment when she tweeted, "My dad told my brother if he got another call from the physics teacher complaining, he would go sit in his class..Dad got another call."
My dad told my brother if he got another call from the physics teacher complaining he would go sit in his class..dad got another call pic.twitter.com/zteNyXqhpy
— Molli Howard (@mollih04) 5 May 2017
Bradley's selfie with his suddenly studious-looking son has since gone viral.
Howard told Inside Edition: “My son was getting into some trouble in one of his classes in high school, and his teacher was emailing me."
Howard said of his son, who's also named Brad: “He’s a good kid, but always tries to get a few laughs of whatever crowd is around him at the time.”
Howard said he told the 17-year-old high schooler's teacher that he would handle the situation with some good old-fashioned parental supervision.
“I told him if he gets in trouble one more time, 'I am going come up to your school and sit in on your class'," Howard said. “We got an email on Thursday saying he did something and got all the kids to laugh. It was disrespectful.”
Howard decided to teach Brad one of the most fundamental laws of physics: what goes around comes around. Come the following day, Brad walked into class to find his father at his desk, thus making him the butt of the jokes.
"I didn't even notice him until after I said 'hi' to all of my friends, but I was super shocked," Howard told Buzzfeed News.
“I walked into the classroom and Teacher told me where he sat, and I pulled up a chair,” Brad Sr. said. “My son walks in and is saying hello to his friend and I said, ‘Hey Bradley’, and he jumped."
Many people praised Bradley Sr. for going the extra mile.
@mollih04 @BradHowardII_8 WAY TO GO DAD! Kudos! He really loves his kids to go so far to teach them a valuable lesson!
— House Girl (@SomeOfEvrything) 10 May 2017
@mollih04 @BradHowardII_8 That is just brilliant. Strong parent skills right there. pic.twitter.com/oixdqnoHT9
— Education Galaxy (@EducationGalaxy) 9 May 2017
While some could definitely relate:
@mollih04 @BradHowardII_8 Haha my mom did this too, she came to my lunch once to annoy me, she hugged all my friends and gave Seniors high fives!
— Shelby McNamara (@ShelbyMcNamara3) 8 May 2017
Unfortunately, Brad Sr. may have to step up his game. He said his method may have backfired somewhat: "This method for discipline did not achieve the ultimate results I hoped it would. He loves attention, so him getting all this attention now, he’s kind of happy."
