Crosby, Stills and Nash sang the song “Teach Your Children Well” back in the ’60s, but it’s clear that too many parents didn’t take that advice.

Almost every day I see an example of spoiled brats pushing their parents around, parents who are unable to say “no” to little Dylan or Zoey because it might cramp their creativity. These parents try to negotiate with their little urchins as they scream and make everyone around them uncomfortable.

Well, if your kid knows he or she can manipulate you by screaming in public, you’ve lost the battle already. You’ve failed as a parent because you’ve tried to be their friend. I raised three kids and never, never, never, not once did this ever happen to our family in public. If my kids began to act up in a restaurant, all I had to do was look at them and they’d stop. But too many Baby Boomers and their offspring never could get past the notion that discipline is a bad thing, a remnant of a violent and patriarchal society.

That’s why a restaurant in Carolina Beach has had to put a sign up saying that screaming children will not be tolerated. The reaction of one diner says it all:

“I’ve never seen a restaurant say, don’t bring your screaming kids in here,” said Ashley Heflin, who is a mom of two. “You can’t help it if your kids scream.”

Yes, you can, Ms. Heflin. You just have to learn to be a parent, the biggest job of which is to socialize your feral kids.