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When criticized, parents frequently get defensive. One of their favorite tactics is to dismiss the criticism with something that amounts to "get your own."

What would be an equally short, snappy, witty comeback that would do better than stay completely silent? Everyone knows "get yours" is code for, you're a loser who is beneath me, you've no business telling me how to raise MY kids. You can have a relationship with more children than the parents in question ever would, you would still be told to mind your own business.

"It's my business because the child is not your property. Just like a dog wouldn't be. There are laws against chaining dogs (for example), so it's alright to question your parenting decisions too"

Maybe not very short. Keep it to the first sentence then.

What really needs to be done is to give the kids a way to escape their parents. That will pressure them to not be psychopaths or their kid will simply be out of there.

I don't think there's anything one could do in that situation because a child is his parent's property and the state too. Even if you were more powerful than them, you couldn't just help the kid because they'd report you or something. The only way i guess if they were abusing them very seriously, you could report but that would just change owner from parents to state although might be better for the kid if he lived in a very toxic environment.

sirfessor wrote: Thu Aug 13, 2026 6:43 pm I don't think there's anything one could do in that situation because a child is his parent's property and the state too. Even if you were more powerful than them, you couldn't just help the kid because they'd report you or something. The only way i guess if they were abusing them very seriously, you could report but that would just change owner from parents to state although might be better for the kid if he lived in a very toxic environment.

It changes the attitudes though if it's done a lot. People don't like to be socially shunned.

Which is why the comeback must be eloquent. Bumbling loons taking the kid's side are worse than useless if the trend starts to get traction.