'You're raising spoiled brats': Parents let out-of-control 2-year-old ruin romantic date night after she refuses to stay with babysitter, get criticized for failing to set boundaries

JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor

Aug 21, 2024 3:00 PM EDT

Setting boundaries is hard with anyone, especially children. When you have to cancel a plan because you're burnt out, decline to answer a personal question, or set a physical boundary, it can make you feel like you did something wrong, even though you were really just protecting yourself. This is the work of knowing our limits and setting them.

But when it comes to raising children, this is even harder. Kids aren't naturally born knowing where the line is. You have to teach them. They will push and push to find out how much they can get away with, and they will stop at nothing to get what they want. But this is an important time to teach them that, in the words of the Rolling Stones, "You can't always get what you want." One dad learned this the hard way when he shared a parenting story on Twitter and didn't get the sympathy he was hoping for.