Dad Not Happy With Way Kids Treat Mom, Posts “Ominous” Family Meeting Sign

A dad was praised for the way he addressed his kids' treatment towards their mom. Josiah Hawthorne (@JosiahHawthorne) snapped a photo of a notice he posted in his home letting his kids know that they needed to discuss the behavior that made their mother so upset. He then shared the notice to X.

"There is no TV watching, Tablet playing, or Nintendo playing until the kids and Daddy have a conversation about how Mommy was treated yesterday and what the proper consequences for that should be," the first part of the notice states, letting the kids know that they're not going to just get to go about their business as usual without having their behaviors go unchecked.

The other portion of the family meeting referendum reads: "We will have a family meeting at 8AM to discuss this, and to plan our day. Until then, read books and play quietly on non-electronic things."

A signature caps off the notice: "-- The Management (Dad)."

Numerous folks who responded to his X post remarked that they were supportive of the stance that he took and the fact that he was being an ally to his partner, in this instance, mom: "Dude, way to go. I’ve revoked (or promised to revoke) screen time (and cell phone privileges for the older two) over their behavior & treatment of their mom. I don’t even like her that much but she’s still their mom Stay strong, you’re doing great. This sh-- is hard," one wrote.

So what exactly happened that prompted such an official letter prompting a family meeting? Josiah responded to the above-referenced X user that he was attempting to make sure that revoking electronics wasn't necessarily a draconian punishment, but rather a means for them to reflect on ways that they could make their mother feel more loved.

The reason why he was so irate is because mom wasn't feeling like her emotional needs were being met by their children: "So hard. I’m trying to phrase this less like punishment and more like reparations. They made their mother feel disrespected and unloved yesterday, so as a consequence they must repair that damage by making her feel loved (via apology letters and cleaning the house)."

One user on the application asked him how it went, to which Josiah responded: "Reasonably. I’ll know more when I see how contrite they are when Jess gets home," he penned.

There were others who definitely didn't seem to shy away from the perception of the notice being viewed as a punishment, however: "Tough but I applaud you for standing up for your wife and demanding the kids treat her well."

While someone else posted a GIF of The Rock and encouraged him to lay the proverbial "smack down."

A lot has been written about the psychological impact of backing one's spouse up in front of your children. Raising Children pens in an article about spousal supprt: "When you back each other up as parents, children feel secure. It can also help with encouraging positive behavior in children."

The piece went on to state that being able to consistently stick with "family rules" and "supporting each other and being consistent" in upholding these rules is what ultimately helps to establish a secure and stable home environment.

Ultimately, by providing this structure, kids are introduced to boundaries and the concept of there being repercussions for actions when a particular boundary is crossed: "A consistent approach to parenting gives your child a sense of security and safety because they know what to expect in their family life," the piece states.

According to Raising Children, these types of rules and structures also help children to develop coping mechanisms when they are stressed out: "This is good for your child’s development. It can also help them cope in times of change, stress or development, like when they move schools or start puberty."

There's also conflict resolution: healthily knowing how to go about addressing conflicts that will inevitably arise (this is life we're talking about here, after all) lets kids know that there are ways to respectfully tackle problems: "backing each other up shows your child that people can stand up for and respect each other, even when they don’t agree. This helps to protect your child from the downsides of conflict. And it shows your child some important life skills in action.

A Prioritized Marriage also talks about the importance of heaping praise on one's partner in front of their children. The outlet writes: "we should let our children know how valuable our spouse is in our life. If your spouse gets a raise, make a point to tell your kids about it. And let them know how proud you are of their mom/dad for working hard and how well deserved that raise is. If your children have questioned something that your spouse has chosen to do, or the way that they are parenting, support them with praise."