Neatorama’s Guide on How to Raise a Tough Kid

By Alex in Baby & Kids, Neatorama Exclusives on Feb 10, 2009 at 3:49 pm

Psst, parents: are you sick and tired of your whiny baby? Want to raise a tough kid that will take on real life and beat it so bad that it screams uncle? Here's the Neatorama guide on how to toughen up your child:

First of all, you've got to start right. Remember, whatever doesn't kill your offspring makes him or her tougher.

Melissa Williamson, 35, of Roanoke, Virginia, got the right idea - and from the looks of it, the noise is the last thing the baby has to fear: Link

Forget a cozy and cute playpen - be sure to awaken your baby's animal instinct by raising him in a cage. Better yet, an electrified one, like this piece titled Mama Tried by Jack Daws.

Next, surround your baby with weapons of all kinds. Like these stainless steel baby crib and stroller worthy of a lil' Klingon, created by Chinese artist Shi Jinsong - via Invizible Red.

Next, your kid needs street cred, and nothing spells bad ass like knuckle tattoos:

This one is done by Italian photography company LSD s.l.r (Previously on Neatorama), but you can get your own Baby Tattoos over at Amazon.

Daily ablutions is a necessity, even for tough kids. But don't coddle them with that no-tears shampoo. After decades of coddling young kids, even Johnson & Johnson got the message with their new shampoo: Nothing But Tears! (Previously on Neatorama)


[YouTube clip]

All parents with tough kids know that pets are a must. But dogs and cats are for sissy kids. Tough kids play with ... cobra!

And all that is for naught if you don't keep a meticulous record ... but who needs a cutesy memory book if you can have this one: Baby's First Tattoo: A Memory Book for Modern Parents by Jim Mullen, who described his book as such:

For years parents have been buying baby books to document all the precious moments in their new baby's life -- Baby's First Tooth, Baby's First Haircut, Baby's First Step. What have been ignored for too long are those "alternative" precious moments that really should be written down, celebrated, and remembered -- Baby's First Projectile Vomit, Baby's First Tantrum in a Crowded Grocery Store, Baby's 10,000th Dirty Diaper. Otherwise you might forget them and think of becoming parents once again.

How about you? Got any suggestions on how to raise a tough kid? Let's see 'em in the comments ... or my kid will go to your house and beat you up!


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  1. Little Green
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    Don’t forget the tinfoil teething toy and the pit-and-the-pendulum crib mobile.
    Worked for us!

  2. Moi
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    The mother is worried about the sound of jackhammers on her unborn baby while smoking?? (At least that is what I think while holding a cigarette in her hand).

    I say bring on the cattle-prod!

  3. Marilyn Terrell
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 4:23 pm

    A website called Really Bad Parenting has some excellent advice along these lines. There’s Rule #24: Crush Your Child’s Dream Early; Rule #26: Take Your Kids to Bars; Rule #31: Ignore Your Child’s Crying; and much more: http://www.reallybadparentingadvice.com/

  4. Gail Pink
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 4:54 pm

    HAhahahahaha! (pause for breathe) Hahahahaha! Excellent….

  5. Josh
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    Every smoker should eat a pack of cigarettes or watch the following video. If they do not stop smoking then I wish cancer on them.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DbFBu_I_lA

  6. kid_icarus
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    i did a project at university for design classthat was along these lines. it was called our kid toys, and included such items as baby’s first 40 oz (with rubber nipple attachment), a pacifier which was a cigarette holder, and of course baby’s first crack pipe….i thought it was hilarious, but my teacher, not so much…..oh well.

  7. amdela
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 8:02 pm

    I recommend beating them with axe handles whenever they get out of line. Also, replacing toothpaste with krazy glue = hilariousness.

  8. seekshelter
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 10:01 pm

    those babies are metal…

  9. natsumemaru
    Feb 10th, 2009 at 11:30 pm

    i dont like the idea on being harsh to your kids just to let them be tough (as what society would define it). they wont grow hard–only annoying and wants to get attention always.

  10. Christophe
    Feb 11th, 2009 at 12:36 am

    Darwin would be proud. Awards are due.

  11. Skipweasel
    Feb 11th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    Josh:- While I agree that smoking is horrid, and I know – I used to smoke, does making each smoker eat a packet of cigarettes really make sense?
    Should each fattie (and I’m one of them) have to smoke a 14″ pizza?

  12. monocongo
    Feb 12th, 2009 at 3:23 pm

    It looks like this kid’s folks really know how to raise him tough — he’s already smoking like a champ at 3 years old: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=175_1234062872

  13. Gamine
    Feb 14th, 2009 at 6:02 am

    This is too funny..lololol

  14. Mck89
    Feb 18th, 2009 at 4:43 pm

    WOW. I’m from Roanoke…that woman lives within walking distance to me :(


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