I doubt his kids will ever have to survive on the streets, but he does have a point. When my son was little, I used to get angry with my husband because he'd often pick on my son when he was watching television. When my son would least expect it, my husband would punch him in the arm or slap him hard on the stomach. This usually led to the two of them wrestling on the floor and knocking things over. I put my foot down and said NO MORE! Later, my son came up to me and said he wished I hadn't done that because he enjoyed "fighting" with his dad.

My husband's excuse? He said to me "It's YOUR job to nurture him - it's MY job to teach him about the reality of life."

Years later when my son was in high school, it paid off. Several boys tried to attack my son, but his reflexes were too quick, lol. On one occasion, some young men did get him - but he didn't lose his focus or start crying. If he had, they would have killed him.