There're different levels. Sure, maybe eating a potato chip is political, but it's not the same level of political as telling your child how to conduct themselves.
The way families are constructed is political. That I have effectively absolute authority over my children, however I choose to use that power, is absolutely political. Marginalized people live under the threat of having their children stolen from them because they lack the social capital to avoid getting ensnared in the family regulation system. That children have such limited rights to begin with is political. The power relations that exist between a parent and a child, and the structural context those relations exist in, is very much political.
Go to bed because you're tired and I know you don't feel tired but remember when you didn't realise you were hungry until you ate? it's like that and also there's not any fun stuff to do today anymore, I am also going to bed soon. The sooner you go to sleep the sooner it'll be tomorrow and the sooner we can go out to play and have fun. Also I love our bedtimes where I get to read you your night-time story and I've really been looking forward to it, so can we please go to bed so I can read you the goodnight story?
Yeah I know you don't feel like you're tired and I get it, but this is one of those times where I have to pull out the boring "adult card" and say that we usually go to bed around this time and that's because if we don't we'll be tired tomorrow. Then we'll just be really cranky and we'll end up fighting and I don't want to fight you, I'd rather have fun. Do you want to be cranky and fight?
Alright I will "go" to "bed" but I'll make sure you're fully aware of my displeasure with the situation the whole time. (will actually get really into, then fall asleep during the bedtime story)
There're different levels. Sure, maybe eating a potato chip is political, but it's not the same level of political as telling your child how to conduct themselves.
Light Yagami is that you?
The way families are constructed is political. That I have effectively absolute authority over my children, however I choose to use that power, is absolutely political. Marginalized people live under the threat of having their children stolen from them because they lack the social capital to avoid getting ensnared in the family regulation system. That children have such limited rights to begin with is political. The power relations that exist between a parent and a child, and the structural context those relations exist in, is very much political.
The book Childism (Libgen link) broached the topic and is good reading.
On my reading list, thank you for the recommendation!
revisionism!
Bedtime struggle session when?
Go to bed because you're tired and I know you don't feel tired but remember when you didn't realise you were hungry until you ate? it's like that and also there's not any fun stuff to do today anymore, I am also going to bed soon. The sooner you go to sleep the sooner it'll be tomorrow and the sooner we can go out to play and have fun. Also I love our bedtimes where I get to read you your night-time story and I've really been looking forward to it, so can we please go to bed so I can read you the goodnight story?
The rules-lawyering 4 year old in me has no genuine objections to this, guess it's bedtime!
Have you considered that I don't wanna?
Yeah I know you don't feel like you're tired and I get it, but this is one of those times where I have to pull out the boring "adult card" and say that we usually go to bed around this time and that's because if we don't we'll be tired tomorrow. Then we'll just be really cranky and we'll end up fighting and I don't want to fight you, I'd rather have fun. Do you want to be cranky and fight?
Alright I will "go" to "bed" but I'll make sure you're fully aware of my displeasure with the situation the whole time. (will actually get really into, then fall asleep during the bedtime story)
fell for the classic blunder