Making others happy, through kindness of speech and sincerity of right advice, is a sign of true greatness. To hurt another soul by sarcastic words, looks, or suggestions, is despicable. Sarcasm draws out the rebellious spirit and anger in the wrongdoer. Loving suggestions bring out the repentence in him. Repentence consists in thoroughly understanding one's own error and in abandoning it. Friendship is pure by nature. When you have a lilly in your hands, how can you crush it? When you love a person dearly, how can you hurt him, even though he may be wrong? Divine love is unlimited and infinite. When two or more persons are friends always, no matter what happens, that is an expression of divine love, of divine friendship.
When parents make a practice of hurting and humiliating their children, they do permanent damage. There is a big difference between describing what you don't like or don't stand for, to a child, and your resulting to name-calling, sarcasm, and cutting remarks. Try to avoid criticism and advice about appearances and clothes. Don't say "just do as we say." Take time to listen, consider, and explain your feelings, let them decide on miner issues. Take a reasonable interest in your child's life, but you don't need to know every detail. Remember, teen-agers can't help being oversensitive to everything. Nature biologically causes a teen-ager to cast out the parents. Don't take it so hard. Appreciate their need to grow up and look outward. Don't be too shattered when all of the sudden you aren't as important any more. Get good books on teen-agers, read them, they will help you understand and may help you from making huge mistakes. When you understand where they are and they understand where you are you can meet a common ground.
Source: Gesell Institute. Albert W. Daw Collection