FFS. I'm in the park. A couple of kids are busily stripping a tree of its flowers (not picking them--pointlessly stripping the branches bare & casting flowers and leaves on the ground). Their mom is next to them. I gave a long, expressive look to them and her. 1/x

Mom said blithely "say, 'I'm sorry Mrs. Tree." The kids repeated "I'm sorry Mrs. Tree" while continuing to denude it.

I said "They obey you so well they'd probably listen if you told them not to vandalize a park." The kids froze; mom looked flabbergasted & offended. 2/x

I didn't stick around to see if it had a lasting good effect.

Seriously, WTF. 3/3

"Say, 'I'm sorry Mrs. Tree.'" WTF.