Diner Observes a Father's Poor Performance
Dear Abby | February 26th, 2025 | Letter 2 of 3
DEAR ABBY: I was out to dinner this evening. A father and his two sons (10 and 6) were seated at the table next to ours. As soon as they sat down, the father began berating the 10-year-old's performance at a sporting event. He called him worthless and a piece of dog sh-t. It continued throughout the entire meal. I felt bad for the boy and was horrified at the way his father was treating him. I wanted to take the father aside but didn't know if it would make him abuse his son even more. What advice do you have for situations like this? -- SITTING BY IN COLORADO.
DEAR SITTING BY: It's counterproductive when parents become overly involved in their children's sports activities. Clearly, the public shaming this father was giving the boy wasn't helpful encouragement. That said, you were wise to remain silent for the reason you stated. If you had tried to intervene, it would have embarrassed the abuser, and it might have made things worse for the boy.
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