[thehucklecat]

"A key function of good enough parenting is to provide the essential background to allow for the growing child’s disillusionment with the parents and the world, without destroying their appetite for life and ability to accept (external and internal) reality."

is a banger quote.

In practice it is so hard to just go along with this disillusionment. I can't do it. Kids come home totally bored at school and I'm supposed to say "get used to it, your life will be full of drudgery!" Nah.

[JohnFen]

I think that one of the core jobs of a parent is to gradually introduce children to reality. Too much too soon is bad for them, and too little too late is also bad for them.

But I don't think I'd ever say that life is destined to be full of drudgery. Life is what you focus on. That can be drudgery, sure, but it equally can be something else. I wouldn't want to prime my children's outlook to interpret life as full of drudgery. I want their outlook to focus more on the rewarding and fulfilling parts of life and to see the drudgery part as the work you do to get the rewarding part.

[wryoak]

That’s what my mom said to me. Didn’t really get me used to it though… maybe that’s the point? Tell them life is going to be boring during their phase of rebellion and you’ll set them up to chase something better for the remainder of their days?