Remember the olden days when kids were seen and not heard? Back then parents could get away with almost anything. But today, children have this new ability to talk back to those who’ve given so much. So is it right that kids are allowed to treat us this way, or should we go back to beating them with a stick?
Pay it forward
In the past, the reason you had to keep quiet was because parents were the givers and you—the little pukes—only took. So how dare you not respect them at all times?
But many who grew up under this system came to abhor it. We resented its unfairness and started to believe that parenting isn’t about equalization, it’s about paying it forward. And the debt I owe is not to you, but to my own.
Resentment
Experts from the University of Edmonton say if a child is expected to suppress his or her natural anger, they’ll harbour resentment. That’s why many adults no longer speak with dad or call on Mother’s Day. It’s best for everyone to be allowed to lash back. Because if this freedom is denied, the resentment only festers—resulting in deeper anger that will eventually burst.
So the next time your kids tell you to piss off, smile. It means they’re emotionally stable. And your grandchildren will be the same. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with a cuff in the head.
Note: Also see Evolution of Management.