What is worse than coal in your stocking?

My father was one who would make threats that were hard to believe, but he always followed through. When I refused to hang up my coat, he would throw it out on the front lawn (leading to some COLD mornings at the bus stop). Now, some kids in Houston are finding out that you always have to take Dad seriously.

"We told them they were destroying each other and the calm and peace in the household. It had to stop," said the man, who did tell the paper that he works as an information technology specialist and lives in Pasadena...The boys pledged to be nice, but were back to their old ways the next morning...That night, Dad announced that he would indeed be putting $700 in video games up for sale on eBay. The oldest boy double-dared his dad to make good on his word...Son shouldn't have done that.

The auctions ended earlier today. But this is probably a better gift than most. Now the kids know there are consequences to actions. I knew a lot of kids who never learned that lesson at home. The lesson had to be brought home to them in the "real world" and it was even more painful.