I would pull the buzzer out of the game "Taboo" and then walk around buzzing it whenever her children do something wrong.

Johnny is throwing toys - *bzzzzzzzzz*
Suzy told her brother to shut up, *bzzzzzzzz*

I think your friend will get the point. I guess I did have children to make their lives miserable, cause this situation sounds like a blast. I could really have fun with it if I were in OP's shoes.

What about some kind of code word that you shout out instead?

Or you can use it as a drinking game and take a shot of vodka everytime they act up?

So many options!

If you don't like her parenting, then don't hang out together. Easy solution.

Yeah, it doesn't sound like a successful strategy toward raising happy kids, but I don't feel a need to control the world, or even let the world know how I feel. I just walk away.

18:10 - YUP. THIS. Ain't no daddy with enough money to bail them out at this point!

OP, your friend is full of sh*t and doing a tremendous disservcie to society, and most of all herself. She sounds too stupid to know this.

We know people like this, where isn't (fill in blank with annoying over the top behavior here, behavior that would make anyone hide the sharp objects) cute? No actually, GTFO! Life is too short and they are not parenting at all. They sound rather lazy. My guess is if they have any friends, they will not for long.

Is the entire family obese?

OP,

Well "not" is not "no." If needed, I'd tell the child not to do this or not to do that. There's also Stop! Attention! Order in the house! Quiet down! It's a strange one, I'm with you on that, but there are ways around it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That should be against the law - "society abuse!" LOL Since she is not saying "no" and thus "not making their lives miserable," she is in fact raising two little brats that will make our lives miserable. I just hope he is not the one raping my daughter down the road because he doesn't know the meaning of "no."

why is your daughter "down the road"?

I know. Maybe you should keep your daughter inside more . . .

Anonymous wrote:This is from my friend who is 41 with two boys ages 5 and 3. Our conversation was about discipline. I believe that my job as a parent is to raise future adults. And kids need to be told NO once in awhile. My friend feels that NO is a bad word, and it is harmful to the egos of her little ones. Basically, I am not allowed to tell her kids NO, at her house or at my house. No matter what they are doing. I am just supposed to indicate to the boy that he is doing something inappropriate, and suggest an alternative. I just laugh and wonder what she will be saying in 10 years.

"Oh, sorry, no. I don't have $10,000 for bail. I guess he'll just have to sit in there until the trial. Hope the public defender will do a good job."

Anonymous wrote:That should be against the law - "society abuse!" LOL Since she is not saying "no" and thus "not making their lives miserable," she is in fact raising two little brats that will make our lives miserable. I just hope he is not the one raping my daughter down the road because he doesn't know the meaning of "no."

why is your daughter "down the road"?

That should be against the law - "society abuse!" LOL Since she is not saying "no" and thus "not making their lives miserable," she is in fact raising two little brats that will make our lives miserable. I just hope he is not the one raping my daughter down the road because he doesn't know the meaning of "no."

The Smithsonian daycare center had this policy maybe 8 years ago, don't know if they still do. DH and I loved the place except for this, because although we're not strict disciplinarians, stop using the word "no" and pretty soon you're negotiating over every cookie. YMMV.

Anyway, here is what they used to suggest. Instead of saying "no" you had to say "use your walking feet." Instead of saying "don't scream in the house" you were supposed to say "indoor voices, please." It's not hard to think of creative alternatives, the only problem for you will be that your own kid will wonder why you're treating this other kid differently.

When she asks to get together, indicate that her children are being inappropriate, and suggest an alternative.

Anonymous wrote:This is from my friend who is 41 with two boys ages 5 and 3. Our conversation was about discipline. I believe that my job as a parent is to raise future adults. And kids need to be told NO once in awhile. My friend feels that NO is a bad word, and it is harmful to the egos of her little ones. Basically, I am not allowed to tell her kids NO, at her house or at my house. No matter what they are doing. I am just supposed to indicate to the boy that he is doing something inappropriate, and suggest an alternative. I just laugh and wonder what she will be saying in 10 years.

don't invite her over...

Anonymous wrote:Yet another poster on this fine Saturday who needs to be told to mind her own business.

Yet another poster on this fine Saturday who needs to be told to mind her own business.

This is from my friend who is 41 with two boys ages 5 and 3. Our conversation was about discipline. I believe that my job as a parent is to raise future adults. And kids need to be told NO once in awhile. My friend feels that NO is a bad word, and it is harmful to the egos of her little ones. Basically, I am not allowed to tell her kids NO, at her house or at my house. No matter what they are doing. I am just supposed to indicate to the boy that he is doing something inappropriate, and suggest an alternative. I just laugh and wonder what she will be saying in 10 years.