Ming (Agents of Speech) gives direct parenting advice: establish firm, non-negotiable boundaries so children learn limits and cannot manipulate caregivers. He frames limits as necessary for safety (e.g., holding hands, staying still) and emphasizes consistency without being mean or loud.
I see a lot of parents. I'm saying this from my experience. There's no room for negotiation. I don't need to be mean. I don't need to raise my voice as a no is a no. And that's why kids won't touch my stuff even if I put it right in front of the kid. And kids know that there are people with lower bottom lines and higher bottom lines. Bottom line is more of a Chinese word. So what I mean is, like, there's a limit. There's a threshold to what they can do. They know who they can actually manipulate and so on, so forth. I'm not saying that kids are malicious and they're trying to take control of you, but they know what they can get away with. So as long between you and your child, your relationship is that I give you everything you want. But at times when I want you to stay still, be quiet, and hold my hand, you have to, because it's a safety problem. I'm not going to compromise your safety just because you want something. Right. And that's something you have to understand as a parent.
