The William Tell Mom and Peas

Be a bad parent. It is easier for your children.

Now that is a bombshell. Why?

In the book “The Cockroach Catcher”, there is a story about this 12-year old girl who tried to hang herself in her boarding school. This is a quote from that chapter:

“ ……..Bad parents are generally easier to deal with. It is easier for children to know from early on that they are better off not taking any notice of them and they will, at least the resilient ones will, survive. Many children of psychotic parents become independent and tough from an early age. Good parents are more difficult to handle and if they already have a position in society, what are the poor children supposed to do?......”

I enjoyed the performance of The Mom Song Sung to William Tell Overture with Lyrics (everything a mother says in one 24-hour period put to the music of the William Tell Overture), possibly the most watched on Youtube right now. The William Tell Mom is good. She does not try to justify to her children why they have to do as they are told.

“You don't need the reason why because I said so. I am the Mom.”

How often do mothers get into trouble by being too reasonable?

In “The Cockroach Catcher”, there is a story about a toddler who liked to his “big job” behind a sofa in the living room. One day his mother finally plugged up courage to be very firm with him and accomplished what she could not achieve for a long time.

The William Tell Mom sang:

“But right now, I thank you NOT to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew
Would appreciate
Take a bite, maybe two
Of the stuff you hate”

Well, don’t be shocked when your child listens and starts washing behind his ears, making his bed and eating what he used to hate.

Let them change!

Sometimes we need to let our children change. There is story about entrenchment in “The Cockroach Catcher”. The mother of an autistic child was so shocked to see her child one day eating peas. He used to hate them.

Here is an extract describing the scene:

A mother was shocked on a lunch time visit that her little Gerry was eating peas.

“Darling, I thought you didn’t like peas.”

“I like them now.”

Mother, now finding it difficult to save face, turned to one of the nurses and said, “Honest – he would be sick”

“He will be fine, he has been having peas for days,” said the nurse.

“These are good,” the autist added, without even looking up at mum.

The William Tell mom had better watch out though, now that she is famous…….

“….Good parents are more difficult to handle and if they already have a position in society, what are the poor children supposed to do?......”