Question: Can the words “Bite me” be used as a parenting strategy?

A girl can dream, right?

Because the other day I really felt like saying that to my daughter. She was sassing me up the wall and saying mean things to me and I have to admit, I took them a little personally. So I wanted to say “bite me”.

But of course I didn’t. I left the room, took some deep breaths, took what I’ve been taught is called the parenting high road. It’s very tiring taking the high road.

And lonely.

I used to look at people who yelled at their kids in public and think they had no self-discipline, no morals, no something. But maybe they were just tapped out.

When your kid punches you, calls you a chicken (which would be funny if there weren’t so much venom infused in the tone) and says “I hate you”, it’s hard to take the parenting high road.

I spoke at length with my best friend about this, the coiner of the parenting high road phrase, and she and I both ended up discussing the fact that there’s probably no book out there on spiteful parenting.

Spite as a parenting technique?

Sure, it’s fine when the child is spiteful.

But not when the grown-up is.

Doesn’t really seem fair, does it?

But there it is.

I guess I can't say "bite me" to my kid.

At least not out loud.