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> When they think like children, talk like children, and act like children, they shouldn't be surprised that they're treated like children.

and does punishing children cause them to behave better?

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it never did for me. in fact i can remember many times in which i deliberately did whatever angered my parents again and again, just to piss them off more, to the point of them crying and having a near-mental breakdown (immigrant parents).

they literally could not process the reality of their child not following their authority 100%, because they grew up in a society in which that was the unquestioned norm.

eventually i conditioned them into not punishing me ever again, because they knew that punishment would beget more of the same unwanted behavior.

part of the reason i don't want kids. i wouldn't know how to handle the rebellion.

Sometimes you need a carrot, and sometimes you need a stick. I tend to think the stick worked better at shaping my behavior as a child, but you can't do that anymore.

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