Devil Dad

Author: Zhang Mengqi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: "Liberating parents, so that parents no longer have to be slaves to their children," is one of the key claims of this book. However, while parents need liberation, children still need to be educated. Based on the author's personal experience, "the more you respect your child, the less they respect you. The more democratic the family, the more tyrannical the child. The less authority parents use, the harder it is to control the child." "Respect, democracy, and authority" belong to the parents, and it is up to the parents to decide when to use them. This is the absolute stance of the "Devil Dad." Starting with Household Scoundrels, moving on to Powder Love for a Wife, and then to Devil Dad, author Zhang Mengqi has completed his family trilogy, which is hailed as the "Modern New Good Husband." A man transitions from being the head of the household to the family's leader, from being a husband to being a father, and I believe he has experienced the most changes in life. The author advocates for a break from tradition and a unique view of marriage life; "gender equality" is not Zhang Mengqi's primary demand, but his Family Trilogy provides an excellent interpretation. A child psychologist points out that a mother represents love and compassion, while a father represents discipline and character. A child—especially a boy's conscience—is heavily influenced by the father, meaning the fatherly figure within the child warns them to resist temptation and scolds them for their mistakes. Therefore, the father's role serves as a bridge between the family and the world. In reality, the shaping of this traditional fatherly role is still arbitrarily used today, especially in families where fathers are often absent and mothers take the lead. For example, in many families, fathers are portrayed as the "bad guy." When a child's behavior becomes so bad that the mother has no other recourse, she often uses the line, "Wait until Dad comes home, and I'll tell him." When the father learns of the child's misdeeds, he may then call the child over for a scolding or a beating. Of course, things may change over time—the mother may forget to report the incident to the father, or the intensity of the complaint may weaken. Alternatively, if the father is in a good mood, the punishment may be reduced, or if he's in a bad mood, the punishment may be worsened. In any case, there are too many variables unrelated to the child between the child's bad behavior and whether or not they are punished, as well as the severity of the punishment, making it impossible for the child to develop the understanding that mistakes always lead to consequences. Second, this can make children believe that the mother only scolds, while the father is the one who beats. The mother can test and challenge, but she cannot provoke the father. Over time, children will develop a fear of their fathers, and while the father gains authority, he loses the close relationship with his child. This is unfair to both the child and the father.