Seems like a funny thing to say, doesn’t it, especially since laugh is in the title of my blog.   I love to laugh and have shared some side splitting, tear producing laughs with my children. But…… there is a distinct difference between laughing at something funny that happens and laughing at a situation where your child is misbehaving!  There’s a time to laugh and a time to discipline. 

There are some very simple consequences of your bad behavior (yes, you are behaving inappropriately).

1.  you are telling your child what they are doing is acceptable

2.  other adults around you are saying to themselves “stop laughing and make your child behave”

3.  you are making it hard for your child to be in a group situation because they now think that everything they do is cute and everyone around them should enjoy the show (this includes teachers, coaches, and other parents)

4.  your child isn’t learning the meaning of “no” and when they become teenagers…….well, when they sneak out, you only have yourself to blame

5.  you’ve lost respect

Don’t set your child up to be the child no one wants their child to be around or the child the teachers dread seeing on their class roll.  Raise your child so others will love them as much as you do.