Yeah people are reading too much into this. I’d like to think I’d never say shut the hell up to my kids (or anyone else), but everyone’s family dynamic is different.
Unfortunately sometimes you have to make them understand that now is not the time. This may be his attempt to do so.
I only spanked my kids once and that was when they tried to run into traffic. I’m sure some people watching judged me and thought I was a terrible parent. But I needed to make them understand immediately that they can’t do that.