That's Unfair!

Sometimes the way other parents discipline their child makes me very uncomfortable. 

How do they expect to teach self-control, "keep your hands to yourself," and fairness, when they inflict upon their kid a "punishment" they won't let him/her use?

Take, for example, "time-out."

It's disturbing how many (supposed) adults grab their small children by the wrists and stick them in a corner, to send the message a particular action is "wrong." Yet, they don't allow the child to put adults or other children in time-out!  

...It gets worse.

Some parents watch "grown-up" television shows and videos without their children; some stay up later than their kids--even when the child juts out that precious lip and sputters, "B-b-b-but, I want to stay up, too!" 

Inevitably, all children will ask at one time or another: "Whyyyyyyy can't I do __[blank]__ when you do it?"  And those bullying parents usually say: "I'm the adult; that's why."  How's that for being an example? Sounds like a power trip to me...

When you take a toy from your misbehaving child and put it on a high shelf, aren't you flaunting, "I'm bigger than you!" You imply Might Equals Right. And, you may ingrain a pattern of stealing into that impressionable child, since that's what you're modeling.

When you establish a child's bedtime, which you don't observe yourself, you're saying, "I know I'm telling you to go to bed--but I can stay up because I'm Mommy/Daddy. That rule only applies to you; not to me."

When you put Junior in a cage (the essence of time-out), just because you don't like his behavior, you're saying you only have respect for him when he follows your rules. And, gosh, that's so unfair!

What about the child's rights? How must the kids feel about receiving punishments? (I bet having toys stolen and freedom restricted makes them feel their parents have all the power...)  *shudder*

I say, "End inequality now!"--including the gap between parent and child. 

We wouldn't want a generation which believes different people receive different treatment...

Would we???