Star Trek: TNG "The Cost of Living"

Okay, this episode is 18 years old, but it exemplifies a problem with parents today.

Worf's son, Alex, is on board the Enterprise, and he refuses to do what his dad tells him to do. He's a little brat who needs a spanking. (Or, being a Klingon, he needs to be beaten severely.)

In any event, that's not what happens. Counsellor Troi says, "Okay, you guys need to draw up a contract. Alex has his duties, and Worf has his duties."

In other words, Worf isn't supposed to be a parent, he's supposed to be a "friend" to his son. Worf and Alex are supposed to be equals, regardless of the fact that one is 40 years older than the other, and is the parent.

I was reminded of that today when watching the Cowboys vs Giants football game. Wade Phillips was fired last week, and the new coach has input some new rules, such as "be on time for meetings." Be on time for meetings!

And the Cowboys are playing better today than they have for a long time. (Although, it is only the end of the first half as I write this.)

But kids, like football teams (which are, afterall, only overgrown kids) need discipline. Not extremely strict discipline, but discipline nevertheless. A child should never be allowed to say "No." when a parent tells him or her to do something. And yet most of them are allowed to say no.