Oomis – your story reminded me of a similar one. Many years ago, my son (at the time, around 5 or 6 y/o) was getting the business from another (bigger, tougher) kid in the country. Fights, shoves, riding off with his bike and leaving it wherever, ect)
All pleas to the mother were promtly dealt with “talking” to her son (this was a no potch household, natch).
So, with little alternative, I crouched down so we were eyeball to eyeballand told this little angel,(in my best deadpan,icy cold voice) “if you don’t stop hassling my son, I’m going to drag you into the forrest, tie you to a tree, and let the bears eat you”
Being all of 6 or 7, he beleived me, so he stopped. Why? Becuae he saw that while he could run slipshod all over his parents (beacuse no rarely meant no) he could not be so sure with me (as he saw that my kids were kept in line), so best not to take chances with the bears.
I aslo once heard remarked that a potch is like first aid at the scene of an accident. Reasoning / explaining why something is wrong is like a consulation with a doctor. In an emergency, you admininster first aid. A kid wreaking havoc in a store or terrorizing a classmate is a code red 5 alarm blaze and calls for quick, decisive action.