23:30 Aug 19, 2011 

Thanks for the suggestions - the literal translation seemed inappropriate, as this is for a parental training course.

17:12 Aug 19, 2011 

O-Ton/ mein süßer Sohn (AE native)

12:29 Aug 19, 2011 

I guess so :-] -- I just wanted to clarify from the German side.

12:17 Aug 19, 2011 

Is absolutely the right idea, although I can't imagine a teenager replying to his/her parents with "you would probably give me a dressing down." Would be a bit worried if my teenage daughter came out with that! ;-)

11:35 Aug 19, 2011 

Pons Collins Großwörterbuch & Langenscheidt Handwörterbuch suggest "to give somebody a bollocking".
A discussion about possible translations can be found on:
http://dict.leo.org
Spontaneously I would have said "to give somebody a dressing down" (as opolt already suggested) but maybe that is a bit weak.

10:26 Aug 19, 2011 

Hi, I think it is meant in the sense of "you would lose your rag", "blow your top", "go nuts at me", "flip out", "lose it" etc. The construction is similar to "zusammenschlagen", i.e. beat up, but using the notion of "Anschiss", i.e. verbal abuse, getting told off, etc.

10:25 Aug 19, 2011 

... dieses Wort wird zusammengeschrieben, und es bedeutet etwa "to give sb a severe dressing-down/dress-down".

PS Meaning that the child would never tell for fear of getting scolded over it.