Letters to the Editor
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Baldwin the loud
Listening to what Mr Baldwin said to his only daughter made me sick to my stomach. The effect these words would have on a child would be far worse. Words are weapons. Bringing my own children up I was always mindful never to say anything that would make them think they were (a)bad, (b) stupid (c) ugly. Mr Baldwin has no such inhibitions. Poor Ireland. I hope her destiny doesn't mirror that of her namesake. Children don't ask to be born, that's our decision. We owe them, not they us. We are the adults. We have to set an example. We have to behave in the way that we would like them to behave. If Ireland is thoughtless, I wonder where she learned THAT from?
Accusing her of bad behaviour while behaving as badly as he can will not gain her love or her attention. Go to your room Alec.
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Words hurt less than blows
I must be from the same generation as Heather, because I recall my fair share of names hurled at my head. Spoiled little shit, turd blossom (if anyone knows what this means, please help me out; I've spent forty-years trying to interpret what this might be), and other, even worse epithets. The thing is, we now live in a nation of people waiting to be outraged. Everyone is on red-alert for the politically incorrect or even the just plain obnoxious. Political correctness has cleaned up our language, but, is it just me or do we now have a lot more shootings than name calling? It's time to shrug off mere words, stop overreacting to any and everything, stop sueing all of our neighbors and put some discipline back in child rearing.
Some sociologists believe that a child's peers have a much stronger influence on them than their own parents, and if those peers aren't reigned in, then more damage is done on the playground than in the home. Yes, Alec Baldwin was behaving in an asshole-ish manner, but did this really need to be made public? I don't think so - bad for Alec, bad for the kid, bad for all concerned. Perhaps callling the child a rude little pig is not recommended by leading child psychologists, but what is a frustrated parent supposed to do to vent? Americans desperately need to stop taking everything so seriously and with such a level of hysteria. God knows I have had days when I would prefer my neighbors not hear what I have to say, and I'm greatful to be anonymous so that I can cuss a blue-streak now and again.
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Brilliant
Oh, this is so funny. I only wish my father were alive to read it - as offspring of one of those "Greatest Generation" plate-throwers, he would really find this hilarious.
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Kids know how to forward voxmail
1) Why does no one consider the fact that an angry fifth- or sixth-grade girl is perfectly capable of forwarding a voice mail herself? It's not exactly rocket science.
2) I feel sorry for anyone who had such a lousy upbringing that they can listen to that recording and think that it's nothing out of the ordinary.
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somehow,"opinionated", i find it hard to believe
you have real *sorrow* over those who "had such a lousy upbringing that they can listen to that recording and think that it's nothing out of the ordinary". what is your method of parenting?, the smirk?
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I think it's a fine lesson, but not sarcastically
"Why is it humiliating that she doesn’t answer? Why is it her fault that he is humiliated? “You made me feel like shit,” he tells her. Why is she responsible for his feelings? That’s a fine lesson to treat your children – that it’s their fault if you’re upset, and their responsibility to make you happy."
kansasgirl, I think it's a fine lesson to teach children that their actions affect other people, including their parents, and that it's their responsibility not to actively make others unhappy. It was her fault that he was upset. I still remember the few times I did or said rotten things to my parents as an adolescent, and I wish I hadn't. Parents have feelings too, even if they are rich and famous actors. There's nothing wrong with holding kids accountable for their actions.
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I Support Alec Wholeheartedly
Heard the message. I know nothing about the details of any of the parties, issues, facts, or possible consequences.
I support Alec wholeheartedly because I like his face.
(Don't judge me too harshly, it ain't like I vote based on these standards.)
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Good On Ya, Alec.
"Go to your room", indeed. Working in a school, I've seen a lot of selfish little piggies, as well as my own fair share of total little shits. If mommie and daddy knew what little beasts they were raising, well, this problem would never rear its ugly head. And if you believe that . . .
Please . . .
when you call in a parent because their little prince or princess has done something inappropriate (often so disgustingly ignorant, nasty or just plain contemptuous of other human beings that you wonder and worry about the future of this planet), you soon met the reason for the behavior. Call it "the-little-turd-off-the-big-steaming-pile" syndrome. I say, call 'em as you see 'em, Alec.
And don't even get me started on your ex-wife.
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If Heather doesn't want the reward, I'll take it!
How would I reward Heather for this column?
A week in a locked room alone with Alec Baldwin should about do it.
--Anonymous
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My .02
I know I'm getting into this thing really late (200+ letters) but I thought Heather's take was hilarious. Absolutely classic. As for Mr. Baldwin, I understand his frustration, and if he had stopped at "rude, thoughtless" he would have my support. However, the "pig" remark strikes me as over the line, especially for a near teen girl. The most remarkable thing to me about the whole situation is that Mr. Baldwin is restricted to calling his daughter only at a certain time. Is this correct or did I misinterpret something?
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Of COURSE It Was Over the Line
But the point is that I don't know a parent of a teenager or near teenager who has NOT gone over the line in communicating with their children.
I threatened to "cancel Christmas" more than once. To the point where, when I am frustrated and acting pissy, my now adult kids will ask, "What are you going to do, Mom? Cancel Christmas?" and then laugh and laugh.
Really, the travails through which a two or three year old can put one are nothing, NOTHING to the quite deliberate shittiness that can be visited on the hapless parent by the near adolescent. Matt Groehning, in a book he wrote years ago called "Childhood is Hell" said it best: There is nothing more vicious than a mob of sixth grade girls. And, by my calculations, Ireland would be...in the sixth grade.
Alec Baldwin may or may not be abusive to her on a regular basis. You don't know and neither do I. But for the publicist of his ex-wife to justify the release of the voicemail makes me ill.
My ex was a complete and utter asshole when it came to using our children as pawns in an attempt to keep the battle going, so that I would continue to pay attention to him, and to hurt me for having the gall to divorce his ass. So I know from dealing with shitty exes, and I know from the pain of having a child buy into the alienation attempts.
OF COURSE a constant barrage of insults and nasty names is not acceptable as good parenting. OF COURSE, if this is the standard for his interaction with his daughter, then he sucks as a parent. But I don't know and you don't know if it is.
All we know is this: he was supposed to be able to talk to her at a specific time on a specific day, and she wasn't there. And he lost his temper.
Please, oh please, could we stop assuming that we know all about the parenting techniques of others?
For what it's worth, I have never felt compelled to trip a bratty child in a store. I have found that the judiciously stated KNOCK THAT OFF, combined with a well honed MOM look delivers excellent results with OPCs. (Other People's Children)