Contra Aella on chattel childhood

Aella has a post where she argues that today's parents don't sufficiently respect the independence of their children:

Every culture throughout history has justified the abuse of treating their children as property by arguing this is good for them and good for civilization. Kids need to learn this stuff to be functioning members of society! It's good to learn discipline! You can’t have kids just sitting around playing video games all day! Not everyone is self-directed autodidacts!

Sure, I know that argument. But hopefully if my parents had said to you “do you expect her to learn good morals if we spare the rod?” you would have said “have you even tried other methods?”

It's a hard hitting piece, and it certainly makes me, and presumably other parents, feel uncomfortable.

Unfortunately I don't actually see much of an alternative. Aella seems to think it's as easy as not treating your children as property:

When I was very young, I remember adults treating me like I wasn’t a person, but this didn’t upset me quite as much as the fact that no adult seemed to remember what it was like to be a kid [...]

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Outline:

(02:19) Most parents arent perfect:

(03:00) Children are a danger to themselves...

(03:55) ... and others

(05:16) Parents have a life too

(06:17) Its for your own good you know!

(07:24) But cant you still treat them like a person?

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First published:
April 27th, 2026

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Lbwri6HmXGtBDsF4f/in-defense-of-parents

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“In defense of parents” by Yair Halberstadt

LessWrong (30+ Karma)

“In defense of parents” by Yair Halberstadt