Fair Weather Parents

“It’s all in a day’s work Tryin’ hard to defend The time that I spend alone.” ~ Chaka Khan, “What ‘Cha Gonna Do For Me” from the album UNSUPPORTED CODE What ‘Cha Gonna Do For Me UNSUPPORTED CODE (1981) We drop him off at daycare And pick him up at night, Then television programs air – He watches them till night. We’re busy with our business And friendly with our friends; He cries too much – for these fits That’s why they make playpens. At night when we’re all tired We stick him in his room, In mornings he’s attired To hit the road – zoom zoom! We look at him and smile, A cute and lovely sight – No worries all the while Since everything’s all right. He never sucked from boobies, The milk had too much fat; Besides, the office cubies Just weren’t the place for that. Breasts are a bad suggestion, He did just fine on grain; If it caused indigestion The experts would explain, So baby food would clearly Have left them out. He knows We care for him as dearly As any one of those Few moms who tried breastfeeding – Milk isn’t fancy wine – He got what he was needing And everything’s just fine. The trouble’s with the teachers These kids cut up so much He sits beneath the bleachers To hide from jerks and such. They shoved him down a stairway And left him in a cast, Another school will someday Make all of it the past. He’s had his tonsils pulled out And his appendix too, His doctors are good, no doubt: They charge enough for two. Some scars and scrapes don’t matter Each day we rise and shine Won’t bring a silver platter But everything’s just fine. We wouldn’t treat him as a friend. The reason’s plain to see. We’ve got to train him to contend All independently. The sooner he learns what’s allowed And lets all else just be The sooner that he’ll make us proud In this society. We also wouldn’t spare the rod If it would be the way To make his soul all well with God And teach him to obey. The weather’s not been anything But pretty, fair, and bright. There’s nothing worth remembering But just what’s gone all right. We hardly see him these days, He’s got his own career Though he knows he could always Stop by here every year. We’d like to meet his daughter Before she’ll be all grown; At least for now we’ve bought her Some books to call her own. We could’ve gone ourselves there – The flight’s long, we expect – But we’ll sit home and won’t care Till he shows more respect. We sure raised him to be good, To stand up straight and fight On his own feet, and that should Make everything all right.