Picket Fence Post

Three events over the past several days which have been widely publicized and have provided parents with great examples which we can use to teach our kids how NOT to behave when you’re in public, particularly in front of a nationally (or internationally) televised audience.

Here are video snippets of the events, along with the chestnuts of wisdom I passed along to my kids about them:

Even if you don’t think the best person wins some award or honor, it’s best to keep your trap shut, especially when you’re at the event and the winner is about to speak. Don’t ruin that person’s moment. You have a right to your opinion that the person standing at the mike didn’t deserve the honor, certainly, but hijacking an event to express that opinion is plain wrong.

If you believe you were wronged by someone who’s judging you or who has authority over you — a teacher, a coach, a ref, a boss, etc. — it’s not wise to flip out, swear, threaten to shove various solid objects into other’s orifices and throw things, especially if you’re live on television. It’s unlikely that you’re going to get your way by acting that way.

If you’re sitting in the audience at a public venue, it’s rude to shout out to the person who’s speaking, no matter what, but especially if you’re going to shout out something negative. (We’re not talking about if you’re at a sporting event, though, just to be clear.) It’s one thing if you’re in a debate or you’re behind closed doors and you’re heatedly discussing something about which both you and another person are passionate, perhaps then you could challenge the veracity of what that other person is saying by using harsh rhetoric. But that’s only if it’s a debate or if you’re both engaged in an exchange of ideas. Screaming “You lie!” at someone, especially the president, when you’re sitting in an audience? Not cool.