Click to play Especially at this time of year, in the turgid wake of New Year's resolutions—too hastily made, so quickly shed—it strikes me that the hardest, most revolting part of being a parent, at least outside of the emergency room or doctor's surgery, is the extraordinary level of hypocrisy involved in the role. I spend a good part of every day, the better part of my time with my children, telling one or other of them to get on with tasks they'd rather avoid, and avoid or stop those that are taking up their valuable time. When I say tell, I mean (usually) yell: after the third of fourth repetition of the same request, sanctimony, frustration and volume have all increased in due and direct proportion to one another, and to my exasperation. "Get up now: it's time for school!" "Hurry up in the shower!" "Have you done your homework?!" "Stop wasting your time on Minecraft, and do your work!" "If you just concentrate pro
Random and considered thoughts