Parents, Please Be Good to Your Children
Reflecting on the Menendez Brothers story
I was on an emotional rollercoaster watching The Menendez Brothers story last week. You know that type of show that keeps your chest tight for most of it, and you're half-yelling at the screen? Yeah, that was me. But beyond the storyline and the stellar acting, something stood out: parental neglect is a serious issue, and the damage it does? Oh boy, it runs deep.
Here’s the thing: kids aren’t just “mini-adults” who can fend for themselves emotionally. They’re like clay—malleable and shaped by every interaction they have with their parents. And when parents neglect or mistreat their children, intentionally or not, the consequences are far-reaching. I mean, the characters in The Menendez Brothers didn’t just have “bad behaviour” or a “phase”—they were carrying years of unresolved trauma from parents who were either absent or emotionally unavailable.
I get it. Life’s hard. Parenting is harder. But here's the deal—being too busy, too stressed, or too distracted isn't an excuse to let your kids feel like they're navigating life alone. Kids aren't asking for perfect parents. (Lord knows, none of us are perfect.) What they need is your presence more than your presents. They need to know that they're valued, that someone is rooting for them, and that home is a safe place to land when life gets tough.
Neglect doesn’t always look like abandonment. It’s sometimes being there but not really being there. You know? The dad who’s always glued to his phone. The mom who’s physically around but emotionally checked out. You can leave scars on a child without ever raising a hand.
The most significant takeaway from the show, at least for me, is that the neglect we show in the small moments compounds over time. It’s like failing to water a plant—not immediately noticeable, but after a while, the wilt becomes impossible to ignore. The Mendel boys? They were wilting.
And here’s some wisdom: Being present doesn’t mean being perfect. It just means being intentional. Listen to them, even when they’re talking about something you find completely boring (yes, even Minecraft). Engage. Give them the love, affirmation, and structure they need. Trust me, it will make all the difference.
Parents, be good to your children. You’re shaping the adults they’ll become, and that’s no small responsibility.
What’s your take? Do you think parents today are more distracted than ever? Or is it just a new kind of challenge? Let me know in the comments.
This documentary is also on my watchlist😭but to answer your question I think it’s a bit of both, a new challenge but also some distraction. Having children certainly is a big responsibility hence why it’s a decision not to be rushed but well thought out.
I feel the world is very distracting and this shifts us away from the soul work we need to do. Without that work we become “who we are” as parents rather than “who we truly want to be”. Parenting is huge work which I think people find out once having children which can either make or break you. From what I've seen its really hard to parent and I do not feel we prepare people well enough for parenthood.