Calling Robert's Bluff  PRO

CALLING ROBERT'S BLUFF

James Dobson tells a story about a ten-year-old boy named Robert who was a patient of a California pediatrician. When Robert was scheduled for a visit to the doctor’s office, the news would spread like wildfire. Nurses would whisper to themselves, “Batten down the hatches – Robert is coming!” He was an undisciplined terror. He would come in and tear magazines out of their holders, throw trash all over the waiting room, and wreak havoc throughout the clinic. Each time, his mother would just helplessly moan, “Oh Robert, oh Robert.” If the office staff corrected the boy in any way, he would bite, kick, and scream his way back to the seat.

During one of his examinations, the pediatrician noticed that Robert had several cavities. He needed to refer him to a dentist, but he didn’t want to inflict one of his dentist friends with this holy terror. Then he remembered that one of his colleagues had an unusual rapport with children, so he decided to send Robert there. Robert saw his trip to the dentist as a new and exciting challenge in his ongoing battle of wills. As he was ushered into the dentist’s office, he announced that he was not going to get into the chair. The dentist said, “Robert, I’m not going to force you, but I want you to climb up into the chair.”

Robert clenched his fists and screamed at him that he would not.

The dentist patiently explained that Robert needed to get into the chair in order to get his teeth fixed. Robert refused – again – loudly. Then Robert played his trump card: “And if you come over here and try to make me, I’ll take off all my clothes.” The dentist looked over at his assistant, back over at Robert, and then simply said, “Fine. You go right ahead.”

Robert did. He removed his shirt, undershirt, shoes, and socks, and then he stood defiantly in his Fruit of the Looms and looked at the dentist in a pose of victory.

“All right, son,” the dentist said, “now get in that chair.”

“You didn’t hear me,” said Robert, “I said that if you make me get on that chair, I will take off all my clothes.”

The doctor did not back down. So Robert continued to remove his clothes until he was as naked as the day he was born.

“Now,” said the dentist, “get in that chair.”

This time Robert did as he was told. No crying, no hitting, no kicking, and no biting. When the cavities were drilled and filled, Robert climbed down and asked for his clothes. The dentist said, “No, son, I’m not going to give them to you. You can tell your mother...

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