Discipline in Pryor Household - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

spazmonkey7 · 12-26-2002, 03:01 AM

What kind of discipline and punishment was used in the 1960s? What do you think Jack would do to JJ, if JJ spoke back to him? We all know he likes to ground Meg, but we haven't seen JJ get in trouble. I'm just wondering how all the Pryor kids are (theorically) punished. And what about in the Catholic school, what kind of punishments would be given? I'm thinking of writing a fan fic for American Dreams but I don't know how the kids would be punished. Would Jack spank all his kids or what? I partically need to know punishments for JJ, since it's a mystery! : ) Thanks so much you guys!

kate13190 · 12-26-2002, 11:05 AM

Hm..well,in my watchings of the show,it seems Jack is more protective of Meg than JJ.I think it was like,the guys had more freedom than the girls.And also,JJ has been yelled at,his father almost hit him.And Meg got yelled at also.So...maybe..yelling?Lol.I'm not actually sure,just guessing.

Lil g 05 · 12-26-2002, 03:28 PM

since it was the early 60s prob in school there was still physical abuse like canings or something, but WRITE A FAN FIC!!! hehe that would be so cool

spazmonkey7 · 12-26-2002, 05:41 PM

Thanks you guys. But ya didn't help me much. : / If you find any info can you send it my way? : ) Thanks again guys.

americandreamsgirl · 12-27-2002, 04:16 PM

I think it was pretty much a normal punishment like going to their rooms and stuff.My mom was a little girl in the 60's and parents never hit their kids than.At least my grandparents didn't.I think its kind of sexist that the dad punishs Meg and not JJ.But I think father's were very overprotective of their girls than and they even are today and back than they'd probably be sent to their rooms,no tv.I don't think alot of parents laid hands on their children.I probably didn't help ya either.But you can still email fan fic if you want.got to go Happy New Year.

spazmonkey7 · 12-27-2002, 05:47 PM

That was kinda rude on my part... you all helped! Thanks. As soon as I think the fic is good enough, I'll send it out. LoL... that might be a bit.

americandreamsgirl · 12-28-2002, 12:15 AM

That's Cool.I was just taking guesses at how children were punished than.But my mom did say my grandparent's never hit her or my aunts.It never hurts to guess right.Good question though.g2g Happy New Year 2003 from Julia

RM16 · 12-28-2002, 12:42 AM

My mother was around Meg's age in the early to mid-sixties, and she went to Catholic school. Like the Pryors, she grew up in a large, middle class, Irish-Catholic patriarchy. And though she grew up in Boston and did *not* dance on any television shows, her life *was* pretty similar to Meg's. She sometimes watches the show with me, and from what she says it sounds as if the structure of the Pryor family is more or less realistic. Physical punishment in school, I believe, was declining, but Catholic schools were stricter than public schools. As far as JJ being let off while Meg is punished, that's a gender bias that's always existed. I think it's true, even today, that parents are more protective of daughters than sons. I don't think that punishment at this time was very different from today, except that maybe it was more likely to be enforced. Teenagers were grounded. Kids were sent to their rooms. They were yelled at.

kate13190 · 12-28-2002, 10:43 AM

Wow,guess RM answered the question.Lol.That's cool.I'd have more info,but my mom was only 7 in 1963,and my dad was 9.So they dont remember much when I ask.And,of course,when I asked my grandmother she just said "Not another stupid show kids get wrapped up in." So..I didn't get an answer.Lol.

americandreamsgirl · 12-28-2002, 11:52 PM

My Mom was 6 too in 1963 she told me and I haven't had a chance to ask her how else they were disciplined besides what she's already told me.When I mention things in "American Dreams" like the whole Beatles and thing she tells me how it was when girls saw them and how "American Bandstand' was a biggie than as far as she can remember she was only 6.She said she never watched.She'd watch the Old "Mickey Mouse Club".But she remembers some things.She doesn't watch the show every Sunday like me.She did watch the 1st episode and she said she thought it was cute.ASnd she saw the end of when Jimmy Riley broke Meg's Heart.But im on a Sunday night basis of watching it.Happy New Year 2003 From Julia.

Meg007 · 01-02-2003, 02:26 PM

Personally, using your example of J.J talking back to his father, i don't know that any of the Pryor kids would actualy speak back to Jack. In the 60's there was alot more respect for parents and their word was more or less law, especially when it came to fathers. Kids very rarely questioned their fathers when it came to discipline nor delibritly disobey them when they were standing right there. So, I'm sure if J.J. did say somethin back, he'd be told not to and probably leave it at that. Either that, or it would lead to an argument similar to when J.J missed the dinner with the recruiter. If it got really heated, and J.J didnt' back off, it'd probably end physically as that argument did. In the 60's it wasn't as tabooed or frowned upon if a child was slapped once for being rude, and the children knew this. The Pryor children seem to have been brought up from a very young age with a strict sense of discilpine and the feeling that you don't go against dad or you'll be in trouble which is probably why Jack's never really had to do more then ground them....even though it seems Meg is the only one who's actually been grounded. I think with the younger children, he'd probably revoke privleges i.e tv and that sorta thing and send them to their rooms. Pretty much his forms of discipline would more or less be the same as today, except the children wouldn't question it or go against it as much as they do today.

12-26-2002, 03:01 AM	#1
spazmonkey7 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 26, 2002 Location: DP, IL Posts: 7	Discipline in Pryor Household What kind of discipline and punishment was used in the 1960s? What do you think Jack would do to JJ, if JJ spoke back to him? We all know he likes to ground Meg, but we haven't seen JJ get in trouble. I'm just wondering how all the Pryor kids are (theorically) punished. And what about in the Catholic school, what kind of punishments would be given? I'm thinking of writing a fan fic for American Dreams but I don't know how the kids would be punished. Would Jack spank all his kids or what? I partically need to know punishments for JJ, since it's a mystery! : ) Thanks so much you guys!

12-26-2002, 11:05 AM	#2
kate13190 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Southern Massachussetts Posts: 111	Hm..well,in my watchings of the show,it seems Jack is more protective of Meg than JJ.I think it was like,the guys had more freedom than the girls.And also,JJ has been yelled at,his father almost hit him.And Meg got yelled at also.So...maybe..yelling?Lol.I'm not actually sure,just guessing.
	__________________ Kate

12-27-2002, 04:16 PM	#5
americandreamsgirl Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 06, 2002 Location: Southern New Jersey, Posts: 158	I think I think it was pretty much a normal punishment like going to their rooms and stuff.My mom was a little girl in the 60's and parents never hit their kids than.At least my grandparents didn't.I think its kind of sexist that the dad punishs Meg and not JJ.But I think father's were very overprotective of their girls than and they even are today and back than they'd probably be sent to their rooms,no tv.I don't think alot of parents laid hands on their children.I probably didn't help ya either.But you can still email fan fic if you want.got to go Happy New Year. Attached Images

12-28-2002, 12:15 AM	#7
americandreamsgirl Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 06, 2002 Location: Southern New Jersey, Posts: 158	ok That's Cool.I was just taking guesses at how children were punished than.But my mom did say my grandparent's never hit her or my aunts.It never hurts to guess right.Good question though.g2g Happy New Year 2003 from Julia Attached Images

12-28-2002, 11:52 PM	#10
americandreamsgirl Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 06, 2002 Location: Southern New Jersey, Posts: 158	yeah My Mom was 6 too in 1963 she told me and I haven't had a chance to ask her how else they were disciplined besides what she's already told me.When I mention things in "American Dreams" like the whole Beatles and thing she tells me how it was when girls saw them and how "American Bandstand' was a biggie than as far as she can remember she was only 6.She said she never watched.She'd watch the Old "Mickey Mouse Club".But she remembers some things.She doesn't watch the show every Sunday like me.She did watch the 1st episode and she said she thought it was cute.ASnd she saw the end of when Jimmy Riley broke Meg's Heart.But im on a Sunday night basis of watching it.Happy New Year 2003 From Julia. Attached Images

12-26-2002, 03:28 PM	#3
Lil g 05 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 06, 2001 Posts: 219	since it was the early 60s prob in school there was still physical abuse like canings or something, but WRITE A FAN FIC!!! hehe that would be so cool

12-26-2002, 05:41 PM	#4
spazmonkey7 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 26, 2002 Location: DP, IL Posts: 7	Thanks you guys. But ya didn't help me much. : / If you find any info can you send it my way? : ) Thanks again guys.

12-27-2002, 05:47 PM	#6
spazmonkey7 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 26, 2002 Location: DP, IL Posts: 7	That was kinda rude on my part... you all helped! Thanks. As soon as I think the fic is good enough, I'll send it out. LoL... that might be a bit.

12-28-2002, 12:42 AM	#8
RM16 Senior Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 20, 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 37	My mother was around Meg's age in the early to mid-sixties, and she went to Catholic school. Like the Pryors, she grew up in a large, middle class, Irish-Catholic patriarchy. And though she grew up in Boston and did not dance on any television shows, her life was pretty similar to Meg's. She sometimes watches the show with me, and from what she says it sounds as if the structure of the Pryor family is more or less realistic. Physical punishment in school, I believe, was declining, but Catholic schools were stricter than public schools. As far as JJ being let off while Meg is punished, that's a gender bias that's always existed. I think it's true, even today, that parents are more protective of daughters than sons. I don't think that punishment at this time was very different from today, except that maybe it was more likely to be enforced. Teenagers were grounded. Kids were sent to their rooms. They were yelled at.

12-28-2002, 10:43 AM	#9
kate13190 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Southern Massachussetts Posts: 111	Wow,guess RM answered the question.Lol.That's cool.I'd have more info,but my mom was only 7 in 1963,and my dad was 9.So they dont remember much when I ask.And,of course,when I asked my grandmother she just said "Not another stupid show kids get wrapped up in." So..I didn't get an answer.Lol.

01-02-2003, 02:26 PM	#11
Meg007 Member Forum Cub Join Date: Jan 01, 2003 Posts: 2	Personally, using your example of J.J talking back to his father, i don't know that any of the Pryor kids would actualy speak back to Jack. In the 60's there was alot more respect for parents and their word was more or less law, especially when it came to fathers. Kids very rarely questioned their fathers when it came to discipline nor delibritly disobey them when they were standing right there. So, I'm sure if J.J. did say somethin back, he'd be told not to and probably leave it at that. Either that, or it would lead to an argument similar to when J.J missed the dinner with the recruiter. If it got really heated, and J.J didnt' back off, it'd probably end physically as that argument did. In the 60's it wasn't as tabooed or frowned upon if a child was slapped once for being rude, and the children knew this. The Pryor children seem to have been brought up from a very young age with a strict sense of discilpine and the feeling that you don't go against dad or you'll be in trouble which is probably why Jack's never really had to do more then ground them....even though it seems Meg is the only one who's actually been grounded. I think with the younger children, he'd probably revoke privleges i.e tv and that sorta thing and send them to their rooms. Pretty much his forms of discipline would more or less be the same as today, except the children wouldn't question it or go against it as much as they do today.