I was at Walmart the other day watching a little cutie with dark curls and enormous chocolate eyes throw a tantrum over bubble gum. It started with a whiny request, and rapidly reached blood curdling screams of gargantuan proportions. She could be heard all the way outside. In fact my ears are still ringing, and I just have one question. Why are so many parents afraid to be just that, a parent? Trading accountability and discipline for permissiveness and feel-good moments. God forbid any child should be upset, or feel the cruel pangs of denial. Nothing makes this quite as apparent to me as the three strikes concept. A deceptively simple idea really, that nonetheless seems to lose something in the execution. This plan puts the consequences firmly in the child