The Slice
This is the time of year when kids learn about the truth-telling dynamics in other families.
At least it used to be, back when children played outdoors.
These insights were a result of windows getting broken by baseballs or catapulted toy trucks. The reactions of the kids offered a telling glimpse into the varieties of parent-child relationships.
Some kids, whether the perpetrator or the resident of the home in question, would immediately run for the hills, as if that was a reasonable response. “My dad will kill me,” they shouted as they formulated a flimsy not-guilty plea.
But others would sigh and grimly prepare to face the music, assuming that justice would be meted out in a firm but fair way.
Of course, it can be a fine line between panic and trust.
Paul Turner