Attack of the Snow Wolves

A friend of mine knows someone who knows someone else who knows someone else (etc.). And word has come down this grapevine that there is a pair of parents out there somewhere who tell their child, whenever he misbehaves, that if he's not good, they'll put him outside for the snow wolves. It is reported that this child once had a nightmare about snow wolves attacking him and his parents (who I think are psychologists as the story goes) manipulate his fear to guarantee submission.

Now shocking as this may be, it's important to remember that this is pretty much just hearsay and there's little reason to dial the Department of Children and Families hotline. Normally, I'd hesitate to post an unconfirmed case such as this but hearing about the attack of the snow wolves got me thinking.

There is often a struggle for power between parents and kids. It's a natural part of family dynamics. We want kids to behave. They want to empty out all the drawers in the kitchen and play with sharp objects. You might call it a conflict. Perhaps even a fight. But I wonder how often parents fight fair. How many respectfully and reasonably try to negotiate power struggles in their families and how many use less than savory tactics to ensure they win?

I wonder if I fight fair. I've never told Baby J I'd feed her to snow wolves but I'm sure I've tipped the balance in my favor 100 times or more.

Listening To: We Are the Only Friends That We Have by Piebald