Deathworlder parents mete out appropriate punishments to misbehaving deathworlder children. Chastisement to non-deathworlders is often much lighter, even if handed out by the same caregivers, and for good reason.
Human parent to human children: "Present butts!" (brandishes foam bat)
Human parent to non-human children: "I'm very disappointed in you" (pins children with The Look)
All children: "Wow, I got off easy compared to the other group" -- Anon Guest
[AN(&PSA): DO NOT BEAT YOUR CHILDREN FOR FLAKK'S SAKE! That is abuse and there are other ways to educate your kids on the right ways to behave. InB4 "I got hit as a kid and I'm fine" - no, you are not. You think it's okay to hit kids]
Managing misbehaviour has many faces. Greater Deregulations across known space have entire manuals covering all the details of child misbehaviour and the tortures that were the "appropriate" response according to the administration. As is always the case with Greater Deregulations, there are factions rebelling against these guides for being "too soft" and part of a "nanny state" whilst campaigning to be as violent as they like so long as murder isn't involved.
Greater Deregulations are almost unanimously civilisations in which needing medical care is a criminal offense. Or at least, it's a criminal offense for those unable to afford it. It's best not to use their example when raising a young cogniscent.
Some Humans from the Edge are hardly any better, but they are at least working on more sympathetic methods of encouraging proper behaviour in the young surrounding them. When dealing with Edge Humans on a ship that also has young, it is advisable to also have a Registered Carer in the same room. It was only an accident of circumstance that prevented Carer Greix from interfering with Human Pam's idea of educational chastisement.
"You nicked the food off my plate," said Human Pam. The Human child Dani started laughing. "I wanted to eat that last, you little perisher. You know what I gotta do." Human Pam drew a weapon they had slung over their shoulder and demanded, "Butt to the sky, ignominious spawn!"
Still laughing, Human Dani complied. The weapon descended with a whistle and made an unholy crash as it connected.
Carer Greix was already running across the room, and prevented a second blow. "This is not the way we do things," Greix admonished. "Cease! This is not safe or endorsed behaviour."
Only then did Human Dani start up an upset wail, demanding the rest of their 'thrashing'.
"No, you mis-understand. Look. This couldn't dent warm butter..." Human Pam handed over their intimidating weapon.
It was more a musical instrument than a tool of torture. Designed to whistle when swung and make a huge bang when it collided with any surface. As advertised, it could not cause harm or even pain in any being it struck. It might cause harm to a Level Four Havenworlder, but they rarely ventured out into Galactic space.
"It is still not permitted to strike a minor with anything," insisted Greix. "Either the minor understands action and consequence, in which case you can use other methods to explain proper behaviour... or they do not, and the striking is merely venting your anger on their body. Which is wrong."
Pam reluctantly left the "weapon" in Greix's possession. "Looks like we gotta stick to eating our own food, Shrimp."
Dani whined a great deal and took the rest of their meal in an exaggerated sulk.
Geix took pains to be closer to Human Pam when the frailer Galactic child Thys plucked a single vegetable from Pam's plate.
Pam reacted quickly, snatching it from Thys' fingers. "Whoop. No. No. Deathworlder food. Not safe. You learn this, yes?"
Thys, frozen in place by the Human's glare, said, "...'es?"
"Then I am very disappointed in your ability to remember safety protocols. Go play quietly far from my food."
Thys slunk off to join Danni at the dollhouse. Both children looked each other in the eyes and said, "You got off light."
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / njnightsky]
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