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That's not a dumb rule, that's a bad explanation of a rule that may in fact be good.

"You can't stay up until midnight because I said so."

Few parents would argue that not letting them stay up until midnight is a dumb rule. But the example certainly has a bad explanation.

The problem with this entire thread is that without concrete examples everyone is imagining their own which, not coincidentally, happen to match their already existing world view.

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That’s true, I guess I think bad explanations of good rules are insidious: they alienate kids and create an us-vs-them mentality. If parents stay up late but don’t allow their kids to stay up late, it seems like parents are entitled and even a five year old can sense entitlement.

Here’s the thing, though: it’s true that going to bed early is a good rule, and it’s also true that parents feel entitled; that their rules apply to their kids but not them. That’s one reason kids hate their parents - they often deserve it!

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