Just read the Bean Dad saga. Ack. As I've said, the ability to create children doesn't automatically mean one knows how to care raise kids. That's a myth in the USA.

We don't teach people how to parent at all. We try to sell them shit they don't need.

We should teach.
Part of it holding us back is this idea that THE INDIVIDUAL IS KING in the USA. That a MAN is KING IN HIS CASTLE. Couple that with toxic masculinity you get a dad clumsily trying to teach his kid not to give up, starving her in the process. There is a way to do that w/out...
Starving her, but how is he to know? He's likely doing what his dad did, but his dad was from another era, where men were even bigger idiots (sad but true) when it comes to teaching people to adult.

Sad thing is, Bean Dad thought he'd be congratulated.

Look, I get it, but...
Do you know how many arguments I've had with parents who spank? I give them the science, I give them the studies, I tell them that it's, well, assault.

But they're wedded into the idea, and it's hard to get them out, because we don't have any one agreement on parenting.
And that's wedded to the distrust we have against govt telling any man how to run his household, be it his wife, kids, etc. I've heard parents scream, "no one tells me how to raise my kids!" in indignation, and I would point out, you assault your kid in front of me, yes, I will.
To fix issues like spanking, like neglect (which some folks believes makes kids stronger), bullying (kids learn it from their parents) we need to address THAT MYTH in particular, the toxic INDIVIDUAL IS ALWAYS RIGHT myth.

Of course it's a myth. Why we have laws.
And we need to teach people how to parent. Not sell them classes, books, tools... actually teach them.

Parenting is hard as f. It's the hardest thing I've ever done and still do. Scary. But it's also the best thing for me.

I had to teach myself how. I dug into the books.
But it took a lot of time, a lot of trial and error, and still does. I also had to bust my ass to pay for daycare, healthcare for them, a ton of shit that companies want to sell me that I need for my kid.

No wonder parents lose their minds. It makes you crazy.

It kinda sucks.
The thing is, you examine every serial killer, every master criminal or demented psycho in our history, you'll find 99 percent of them had awful home experiences as children. Were abused, beaten, neglected. Hurt people hurt people, when they grow up. Teaching folks the BEST way-
Teach folks to parent, the right way, with support, doesn't just help them, or their kids, but helps all of us.

Bean Dad committed a dumb parenting misdemeanor, imo. I get it, but it was dumb.

I've seen far, far worse. And I know you have.

Every harsh spanking is worse.
You don't like that, I know. But deal with it. It's the truth.

We could help parents in America, just like we could give everyone healthcare and daycare, but too many of you listen to rich folk say money & profit is more important than lives.

We all pay the price, in the end.
UPDATED: I just read that the Bean Dad long ago posted some very offensive & racist tweets.

This is my shocked face. It's the same face.

That being said, yeah, it's still part & parcel of the same issue. Bean Dad learned this shit. Like Mel G.

Times are changing quick.
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