Family
Demanding Children Demand Creative Solutions
"Can I watch X-Files?"
"Why can't I stay up later?"
"So what if it's R-rated. All my friends have seen it!"
"Do I have to have a babysitter?"
"What's wrong with Mortal Kombat II?"
"I want my own computer?"
This is the short list. For parents of an ever-increasing percentage of children who seem to be in a hurry to grow up, it feels like a never-ending barrage of demands. The response is typically a quick "No!" followed by an assortment of tactics designed to wear the parents down until there is an explosion of anger or an acquiesence just to end the harrangue. All too often, the parents end up in conflict, with one accusing the other of being too easy, too hard, or breaking an agreement. Mothers are the unfortunate targets of a disproportionate amount of the stress because they interact more with the children and often try to find some practical solution. Fathers, more frequently stepping in to the process at some midpoint, are likely to push to adhere to some principle and are less likely to negotiate.
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