What kind of threat is that?

Over the weekend, we went to a restaurant in the area. The wait to get a table was 20 minutes or so. We all sat down and I bought a drink for Mrs. Lime and I. Kali 1.5 was left to enjoy her toys and a few animal crackers during the wait.

While we were sitting in the waiting area, there was a group of people from out-of-state that came into the restaurant. They had a pretty large group and were quoted a wait time of 40-45 minutes. One of the teenage boys in the group started complaining about having to wait that long for a table. His dad got after him pretty good and the kid was verbally firing back. His dad then shot off this gem......."You're going to get sent back to San Antonio if you aren't careful!".

Now I'm all for some form of discipline, but when did parents earn the right to make ultimatums that literally have no chance of being enforced? So this guy is threatening that he'll send his kid back to San Antonio. How exactly does he plan to do that?

Book a plane ticket? That would work. It might set the guy back a few hundred dollars. Also, the problem-causing kid would then be in San Antonio without parental supervision, which doesn't sound like any better of an idea than keeping him in Kansas City.

Dad drives him home? That would get him home and Dad would be there to supervise, but how would everyone else in KC get home without a vehicle?

In the end, his threat was just as intelligent as the old standby "Stop crying before I give you something to cry about!" phrase. And they wonder why certain kids turn out like they do..........