| "ALL WE EVER DID" Once upon a time there was a little boy who was given everything he wanted. As an infant, he was given a bottle at the first little whimper. He was picked up and held whenever he fussed. His parents said, "He'll think we don't love him if we let him cry." He was never disciplined for leaving the garden, even after being told not to. He suffered no consequence for breaking windows or tearing up flower beds. His parents said, "He'll think we don't love him if we stifle his will." His mother picked up after him and made his bed. His parents said, "He'll think we don't love him if we give him chores." Nobody ever stopped him from using bad words. He was never reprimanded for scribbling on his bedroom wall. His parents said, "He'll think we don't love him if we stifle his creativity." He never was required to go to Sunday school. His parents said, He'll think we don't love him if we force religion down his throat." One day the parents received news that their son was in jail on a felony charge. They cried to each other, "All we ever did was to love him and do things for him." Unfortunately, that is, indeed, all they did. |
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