Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world. It’s impossible to do it perfectly, but there are a million different ways to do it well. As long as your little ones have all of the love and support they need, as well as a clean and safe place to rest their heads at night, you're probably doing a great job.
But sadly, there are some moms and dads out there who could use a lesson in how to be a good parent. Redditors have recently been sharing glaringly obvious red flags that someone’s not a good parent, so we’ve gathered the most heartbreaking ones below. We hope that none of these examples remind you of your own mother and father, pandas, but they might be good reminders of what not to do with your kids.
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Filming everything your child does and creating a social media page to garner likes and ad revenue.
Your own children being afraid of you, no child should be afraid of the person that looks after them nearly 24/7.
I noticed this in the children of a neighbor years ago and started paying more attention. Turned the parents into CPS. I was correct in my deduction and the children were removed. Yes I WILL be "that person" where children are concerned.
I was afraid of my father. Today was the first time in my life I stood up to him without fear. I turn 50 later this year.
I’m 42 now and I’m still afraid of my mother, who is 79. She is a toxic narcissist who used to beat me with whatever she happened to have in her hand. She pressed a gun to my throat when I was 6 and told my dad she would kill me if he went on a business trip. She is still violent and a horrible person (and my sister is just like her.) I won’t be sad at all when she dies. That’s what you get when you’re a violent, abusive parent - your kids will hate you forever.
Hope she is no longer in your life - though sympathy if she is. No one needs to feel guilted into staying in contact if they don't want to, or be judged if they do.
Load More Replies...My Dad was killed on May 21, we buried him on May 23 and my 7th birthday was May 24, 1984. He was incredibly violent when he was drunk and an very controlling hardass the rest of the time. It's sad that his dying might have been the best thing for our family. He always told Mom that if she ever took us and left then he would find her and kill all of us and anytime we tried to call the cops it just made things worse. He was 46 years old when he died and it's weird to think that I've now outlived him when I turned 47. I learned a lot of things about his life before he met Mom and that after what my Grandmother put him through that he never stood a chance. I do have some good memories of him, but he did some really bad things to my siblings and I so they absolutely hate him. My Mom was the best though and she was my best friend and it still tears me up that she's gone. I miss her more then I can ever say or explain how much she meant to me.
I was deathly afraid of my mother, she beat me and berated me pretty much everyday. When I left home at 17, it took me 8 years for the intimidation to wear off. There have been times she's tried to bully me but I held my ground and she's backed off quickly. Looking back I now realize that she was nothing more than a coward that would continue until you stand up to them.
What a different attitude to when I grew up in Australia. The idea then was , in my family, that a "good" child was basically a terrified child. Regular beatings, threats and blamed for everything was the order of the day.
May I ask how old you are? I'm in my 30s and grew up (mostly in germany) with a NZ father. And I too was the "good" terrified child
Load More Replies...I was afraid of my mother. She was a horrible narcissist and our relationship was toxic. she never had a civil word for me. I could never do a single thing right. She called me "thick", "stupid" and "useless" every day, and when you're a child being told that every day of your life you eventually start to believe it. Some days i hardly dared to breathe. I spent my entire childhood walking on eggshells around her and by the time I was 16 thanks to her I had no self confidence and no self worth. I left home as soon as I could when I was 17. Some years later she launched a relentless tirade of abuse on me because I wasn't raising my kids her way. For the first time in my life I stood up to her and said, "I'm your daughter, not your enemy but if you want me as an enemy that's fine". I think it hit home because since then the has treated me like a human being and not something she has stepped in.
I grew up being afraid of my parents. My mom died 2 years ago (I was 54) and I don't know why but I am not sad or grieving. In fact, I do know why... It's your guess
That might be highly likely because of abuse: emotional, physical, psychological
Went to a holiday party where one of the coworkers talked openly about how great it is that his kids are afraid of him and how he hits them. Also in attendance was a social worker who overheard the whole thing.
we used to run to our rooms when my dad came home from work and listen from the door to see what kind of mood he was in before opening it. I was called stupid, worthless, no man would ever want me (GOD did I wish I were a lesbian JUST to rub that in his face) bc I could not clean or cook correctly (According to him). He never cared about my grades bc there was no way I would get into college (Jokes on him- I was the first on either side of the family to go to college and graduate! Then my brother- Biological brother). Stopped speaking to him over 10 years ago bc he never contacted my sons- my poor ex husband asked me years ago why he called him to beg for the boys to come see him over summer breaks but that was the last call he ever got). My sons no longer ask about him. (They are AMAZING people btw- I could not ask for better kids, although they are now adults). SOmetimes blood means nothing.
I think children should learn to fear CONSEQUENCES of their actions, but since the parents are the main person in their lives, that may go hand in hand.
I'm almost 30 and have nightmares about my dad. I'm pretty sure that's not normal...
Me and my old man. Chased Mom away with scare tactics for years. Parenting method was intimidation and fear, based on being a mean alcoholic. Situation flipped entirely when Mom learned there were two calls to police from me about the old man beating my brother. He stank like hell the day I left, couldn't articulate words, and I left him to rot. Thank you for saving my life, Mom.
I was terrified of my parents. Not healthy at all. Therapy is a gift.
Children SHOULD have a healthy ‘fear’ of their parents! It used to be called respect, but today’s parents are too busy trying to be their child’s bff rather than setting and enforcing rules. If parents don’t teach it to them, the legal system usually has to!
I was never afraid of my parent till they snapped their fingers and used my full name. Then it was time to reign myself in and be cautious.
That sounds like a heads up so that you can adjust your behaviour. More normal than an adult lashing out for anything and everything. Hard for a kid to tell not-so-great from terrible when a parent acts as if "you looked at me the wrong way" was just as bad as "you tripped your baby brother on purpose".
Load More Replies...No child should be afraid of ANY adult in their lives. That’s a disgusting concept.
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When the older kids have no life or time on their own as they're too busy raising their siblings.
I'll use my mom as an example: When their goal is to have a child, not to raise an adult. So they purposefully keep them young, discourage independence, and pour their entire identity into being mom. Then, when that kid becomes an adult, they have no idea what to do with their life.
Oh, I've seen too much of this. It's not always about not wanting your kid to grow up, though, a lot of the time a parent just does everything for them because "it's just faster if I do it myself" without realizing that they're denying their kids the chance to learn vital life skills.
Letting your child watch a video on their iPad on full volume in a restaurant. Please parent your child and engage with them so they know how when they are older.
Taking their bedroom door off because they haven't "earned" privacy.
My Mom did that to me one time and I completely deserved it. I was 15 and we were arguing and I had a bad habit of slamming my door when I was mad. She told me if I slammed it one more time that she was taking it off its hinge, so being a brat I yelled and slammed it again. 2 seconds later Mom comes in with a hammer and screwdriver and took it off the hinge. At the time it was just the two of us living in our house, so it wasn't like I lost all privacy since it was in the summer and Mom was at work most of the time and i only lost it for 3 days. I learned my lesson since I'm 47 and she's gone now but I still won't slam a door.
Being on your phone while the kids are running rampant. i get people need breaks but at a restaurant i don't really want kids coming over to my table and messing with food and screaming everywhere.
Stealing from your child. When I started college I had saved up about $800 for books and supplies. Two days before class starts I go to buy my book. I have $600 worth of stuff ranging from up and my card declines. I put everything back and check my bank app. I have $30. It says that the last transaction was an in bank transfer to my dad account. I called him and asked what happened.
His response:
“I was short on bills. I’ll get you back in two weeks on payday.
Me: “ok but you didn’t ask. I need that for school and I just looked like a moron since my card declined.”
Him: “I’m the parent. I don’t have to ask you for anything. You should be grateful I’m giving it back at all. It’s not my fault you didn’t check your bank account before trying to make a big purchase.
Later that night he cussed me out for changing my passwords and log in info. He says he has the right to see what I’m spending my money on.
I got the money back a week later with an extra $200 “for the inconvenience”.
But the damage was done. I already had flunked two quizzes because I didn’t have textbooks and my library only had the outdated copy that gave me wrong answers.
Treating your kid as your therapist.
This doesn’t mean don’t show emotion to your child, just don’t dump all your worries onto them and anxieties that they shouldn’t have to think about as a kid
Having extremely unreasonable, unrealistic expectations for your child, i.e., maintain 5.0 GPA Pre-K to College, earn a noble peace price at 20, somehow get married at 25, and have 6 kids by 30, get six figure job right after college, take care of the entire family on their own dime etc.
When i was a HS teacher, i was astounded at the shear amount of energy that parents put into making sure their child had perfect grades while totally disregarding helping them shape into functioning adults who, i don't know, could actually thrive in college and beyond, not just get into a good school.
Never apologizes.
I was an adult before I found out that parents apologize to their kids. I just assumed it was something that wasn’t done but then they were always, ALWAYS right, and so had nothing to apologize for.
Constantly yelling and losing it on your kids. How are they going to learn about stability and communication with parents like that.
Trapping a child in a car as you smoke. Add into the mix the child has chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is a pulmonary disease, not a cold. No child should have this. Commenting for a friend.
Born to smokers, raised by smokers. Severe asthmatic for 65 years, in and out of ICUs and ERs. I'm now on a medication that is working, but I'll never get back those years of being miserably sick and ruined occasions my "caregivers" inflicted on me.
Not having open lines of communication, where your children feel they can't talk to you about their day, concerns at school, or what's on their mind, might indicate a need to work on the relationship.
My mom died when I was a kid and my dad made it very clear that he wasn't interested in dealing with my issues. When I was a teenager, he got offended that I wouldn't come to him for anything, but every time I tried he would get annoyed or even mad. But I'm still the bad guy for not wanting to talk to him about anything.
Parents (usually moms) that self identify as “crunchy/silky/scrunchy/almond/whateverthef**k moms”. Parents that post their kids all over online on the same pages they post their OF links and photos and videos of themselves half naked. Parents who tell everyone their kid is neurodivergent as an excuse for their behavior, especially if they’ve never actually been tested. Family vloggers. Parents who exploit their disabled children for money/attention. Parents who post videos of their kids throwing a fit or getting hurt because they think it’s funny. Parents of adult children who no longer speak to them.
The tantrum filming. I can't even imagine what kind of damage those kids grow up with when their negative emotions have only ever been met with ridicule.
Fetal-alcohol syndrome. When you see it, you know. If you don't know, Google right now. Had a classmate in grade school with it. I was walking through the forest, minding my own business, when a family walked past me going the other way. The father was covered in tattoos and looked older than he should. He had a cigarette hanging out of his cap. The mother was platinum blond wearing all black stretch fabric and a polished face mask of pale looking makeup. They club. And I don't fault them for their lifestyles or priorities. The mother was pushing a stroller with a child; it was a paved trail. The father was just BITCHING about anything and everything - I've never heard so much bitching in a forest, of all places. It's how I knew they were there - I heard him before I saw him. They had a little boy in tow - probably 7-8. My problem with them all was that when we both came around the bend, when they saw me as I saw them, THE FIRST THING this child just out of diapers did, was shout, "HEY! F**K YOU! HEY! HEY! F**K YOU! F**K YOU!" - over, and over again, flipping me the double bird. The father was indifferent, and the mother was hoping to ignore the whole thing. I looked the kid in the eyes and said, "Your parents must be so proud of you." And I carried on. I met up with an old friend. He and I go back to diapers. I haven't seen him in 15 years and we got together for his birthday. He invited some other friends out, too. So we were having a drink when his friends showed up. They had a son. He was 3-4. This was 11pm on a Saturday, in a bar. The child had deep bags under his eyes. They ordered him caffeinated Cola, and poured it into a sippy cup for him. He complained he was tired, they told him to sleep in the booth, which is impossible in a bar at 11pm on a Saturday. Frankly, I had lost my appetite, as it were, to this, and endeavored to speed the night along for the child's sake. Children bear the burden of their bad parents. You look how they behave and that tells you everything you need to know. You look at their outbursts, their scars, their fears, their coping mechanisms.
Sheltering children from uncomfortable feelings.
You have to let your kids learn to process and handle those feelings. Don't assume something is too hard for them to understand, I promise they already know something is happening/wrong, so help them understand it.
This also goes for punishments too. Nobody likes to make their kid mad or cry. It's not fun grounding kids for a messy room, not getting chores done, or lying but they need those life skills. You've only got a set amount of time to teach them to be good, thoughtful, respectful humans.
Trying to be your child’s friend and not setting structure or expectations or disciplining them.
If they hit their children.
When they expect gratitude for food, shelter and the bare minimum they provided as they had too.
I think it's good to teach gratitude for the simple things (there are people who don't have those) but it's wrong to weaponize it
Not knowing anything about your child's life. Best friends, favorite things, favorite teacher, what they like or don't like to eat. Not having an interest in them as individuals. Not allowing them to be individuals.
Child : scream
parent : scream louder.
Child knows they can't scream cuz it will result in far worse when nobody is looking. My parents are pieces of shìt.
Not showing up for your kids. As someone who's worked up to 3 Jobs at one time I've never missed a concert, sporting event or birthday. There are of course circumstances that can't be bypassed but if you miss more than you attend it's a you problem.
That being said, some schools really need to make an effort to make events more "working parents friendly". Especially now just before the summer holidays there is a ton of conferences, get-togethers, sponsored runs, sports competitions and whatnot, I can't take time off for each and I just wish they would move some of it to the later afternoon or weekend.
When a parent compares their child to another child such as their friends, cousins, etc. Never giving the child any praise. Speaking to them as if they are a child when they are a teenager. Not paying attention while they are playing or acknowledging when they come up to you wanting to show you something. Replying “later” to everything they ask you to do. When they want something such as to see their friends, and instead of supporting them, you never allow them any social freedom. The list goes on.
I'm telling on myself from the past here (bad parents can become better), but putting off therapies your child needs and refusing to set boundaries because you feel bad about a situation that happened. This allows for bratty kids who think the world revolves around them and setting boundaries later with the child is Hell. My kiddo is recovering and doing so much better now, but it took a huge wake up call and it shouldn't have. I can't stress this enough: parent your kids! They will be so much better for it in the long run. No amount of guilt should stop you from teaching your children boundaries and how to respect them.
Your kid seeking out other adults to confide in when it comes to difficult topics, because they're scared of how you'll react.
As someone who works wit elementary aged kids, being too controlling about everything, not just with your kid but trying to control what your kid is around when you aren’t, there are several parents who have tried to get books taken out of our school library, freaked out that teachers put on movies during indoor recess (we are a catholic private school owned by the Archdiocese there are so many restrictions) or even that we give out cookies for after school snack. There are two young kids who have already learned how to lie to their mom, they are in third and first grade so they can have the fun treat we give out instead of just getting an apple while everyone else gets popsicles.
Parents who let their home go to s**t. I get it, kids are messy, lives are busy, and your home will never be perfect. But some scattered toys, piles of schoolwork, and a few drop zones around the place isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m talking about moldy food everywhere, hoarding, not cleaning up after animals, and houses full of rodents and roaches attracted to the biohazard of a mess.
Playing favourites when all kids should be equally loved (not my experience but my boyfriend's).
Pressuring constantly his/her own children, displaying them like trophies or accomplishments instead of human beings.
When your kids do the conga around your corpse at your funeral.
Why would this be concerning? It's a celebration of release from their abusers and captors.
Giving your kid everything he wants.
Anyone who calls them self a boy mom.
For anyone who needs a description what that is: A Boy Mom is an Instagram and TikTok trend of women who specifically wanted a boy, are now absolutely spoiling that kid with no boundaries at all, and have weirdly parasitic, boyfriend-like relationships to their own sons if they are older
“We don’t say no in this household.” The idea and sentiment behind that phrase I can understand but the way the majority of parents put this in practice is just always saying, “Yes.” I’ve been in numerous 504 meetings where the the behavioral issue can be mitigated by boundaries.
Parents with fat kids who continue to feed them garbage.
I read that some people live in “Food Deserts” where the only options are garbage food and extreme fatness. 🤷♂️
Not leading by example.
Your kids at grandmas more than with you because you’re out having a “good time” every weekend!
This is OK- shared custody with grandparent if grandparent is willing. Essential with young parents who may otherwise resent having a child. A million times better than the parents partying all weekend with them NOT being sent to Grandma's.
I'm an "influencer" and my kids are part of my channel.
I know someone who has a survivalist/camping/travel YouTube and his kids appear every now and again. Mostly on traveling vacation videos. Hes a bit bordering with how often they do show up but it's not enoigh to be red flag territory.
People who have family blogs.
Not monitoring your kids screen time.
The key is providing them alternatives so interesting and involving that the screen time will limit itself.
A child flinching.
I get the point but if theres a very loud sound kids who hsvent been abused will flinch because its an instinctive reflex.
When your kids jump in the air and click their heels when finding out you dead.
Be on first name basis with all the officers at the juvenile detention facility.
Wait there is a case where this is okay. If they are either A a social worker or b an officer as well.
I may add parents who force their kids to follow their steps, despite kids protests: same interests, same sports same college, same career. Then live their lives through them: choose their partners, orquestate their wedding, when to have kids, name traditions, how to raise them.
Moms who treat their son like he is their god, king, love of their life, only child ever born. I don't ever see dads do this with daughters, but it must be out there. Seems like every single mom with an only child who is a boy, though...
Not all moms with sons are like this. Just the ones who make it their whole personality. And yes "girl dad's" exist as well. I've seen it and it's creepy.
Load More Replies...I would add: putting your relationship with your partner ahead of your children, especially when it becomes apparent that your partner is an abuser to your children. It happens far too often, ie. it happens at all.
The eardrum shattering screen most often heard in for some reason these children's play should be reserved for one occasion: danger, immediate danger to the child or some one around them. These children have not been taught that when you scream that eardrum shattering piercing scream, people run over. Now it's considered just part of normal play. What kind of r++++++d s++t is that?
I suffered from a cerebral bleeding. My wife told me years later that there was a period my personality was different. Up to a level where I terrified my wife and kids three or four times. I was not aware at the time and I'm not sure I could have prevented it either. But even now -15 years later- it still brings tears to my eyes that it happened. I'm so ashamed I scarred the ones that supported me the most and did literally anything for me at my lowest point in life. They don't hold it against me, they don't blame me, but that was when I was the worst parent/husband, and I have no clue as how to ever make up for that.
You probably don't need to, you were ill at the time. It was through no fault of your own whatsoever. They know that. They can look back at that time and recognise that it wasn't the real YOU and it was brought about entirely due to your brain injury. I know I'm just a stranger on the internet, but I'd find it easy to forgive a parent for that. They may think 'that was a scary time' but it can be rationalised. You must have been scared when you found out what was wrong. It was a bad time for you all.
Load More Replies...being jealous of your kids doing better than you did rather than being happy for them. While at the same time taking credit for their success like it was somehow because of them even when they were not there.
Moms that are so concerned and controlling about their daughter's weight and diet that they end up giving them eating disorders.
You want children? Go ahead, but acknowledge that you are creating a living entity with no regard to what that living entity wants, just to fill a void in your own life. Don't want kids, or indifferent? Take steps to prevent them. Think you have a logical reason to have kids? You don't
"Fail videos" where the kids are crying and the adults are laughing.
Insisting on treating your children exactly the same, and demanding that everyone else do it too, even though they are very different personalities and ages.
society nsisting on treating people exactly the same, and demanding that everyone else do it too, even though they have very different personalities need and reactions!! yes!
Load More Replies...My sister used to under feed her boys cuz she didn't want them to "grow up fat".
Lying to the child. When I was 6 or 7 my mother promised she wouldn't try to pull out my loose tooth if I opened my mouth and let her look at it. I did, and she grabbed. After that, I no longer felt it was my duty to lways tell her the truth.
Absentee father and alcoholic mother. Last one to bed would cover up mama when she passed out on the couch. Never attending any function or event. Always late or forgetting to pick me up at school.
I understand the concept of "it takes a village to raise a child" but this village is tired of keeping an eye on your kids for you mr and mrs neighbors!
Oh god, some of these posts bring memories. Let me add a few more: locking up apples and other fruit from your kid because you’re on a special diet and you would not have enough, not watching if your kid bathes and changes clothes for school, telling your child random s**t like: tomorrow you’ll tell everyone at school I’m 29 (she was 37), telling your daughter she’d be so pretty if she dropped 7kg, letting your husband beat the child and when the child comes to you saying: it’s ok, he’s a prince who is protecting me from you (the mother from the child). And many more. There was a history of mother daughter abuse in my family. I think I ended that cycle. My therapist says so.
I don’t understand the people here who are sooo concerned about votes on articles. What’s it to you? If you find it sooo interesting that you feel the need to comment on nearly every article, why don’t you contact BP to see whether you can get a job with ‘em? Why force the rest of us to read your constant complaining? Seriously: it’s as if you have some sorta vested interest in it. Just get a job there so you can fix whatever it is you think is broken.
Load More Replies...I may add parents who force their kids to follow their steps, despite kids protests: same interests, same sports same college, same career. Then live their lives through them: choose their partners, orquestate their wedding, when to have kids, name traditions, how to raise them.
Moms who treat their son like he is their god, king, love of their life, only child ever born. I don't ever see dads do this with daughters, but it must be out there. Seems like every single mom with an only child who is a boy, though...
Not all moms with sons are like this. Just the ones who make it their whole personality. And yes "girl dad's" exist as well. I've seen it and it's creepy.
Load More Replies...I would add: putting your relationship with your partner ahead of your children, especially when it becomes apparent that your partner is an abuser to your children. It happens far too often, ie. it happens at all.
The eardrum shattering screen most often heard in for some reason these children's play should be reserved for one occasion: danger, immediate danger to the child or some one around them. These children have not been taught that when you scream that eardrum shattering piercing scream, people run over. Now it's considered just part of normal play. What kind of r++++++d s++t is that?
I suffered from a cerebral bleeding. My wife told me years later that there was a period my personality was different. Up to a level where I terrified my wife and kids three or four times. I was not aware at the time and I'm not sure I could have prevented it either. But even now -15 years later- it still brings tears to my eyes that it happened. I'm so ashamed I scarred the ones that supported me the most and did literally anything for me at my lowest point in life. They don't hold it against me, they don't blame me, but that was when I was the worst parent/husband, and I have no clue as how to ever make up for that.
You probably don't need to, you were ill at the time. It was through no fault of your own whatsoever. They know that. They can look back at that time and recognise that it wasn't the real YOU and it was brought about entirely due to your brain injury. I know I'm just a stranger on the internet, but I'd find it easy to forgive a parent for that. They may think 'that was a scary time' but it can be rationalised. You must have been scared when you found out what was wrong. It was a bad time for you all.
Load More Replies...being jealous of your kids doing better than you did rather than being happy for them. While at the same time taking credit for their success like it was somehow because of them even when they were not there.
Moms that are so concerned and controlling about their daughter's weight and diet that they end up giving them eating disorders.
You want children? Go ahead, but acknowledge that you are creating a living entity with no regard to what that living entity wants, just to fill a void in your own life. Don't want kids, or indifferent? Take steps to prevent them. Think you have a logical reason to have kids? You don't
"Fail videos" where the kids are crying and the adults are laughing.
Insisting on treating your children exactly the same, and demanding that everyone else do it too, even though they are very different personalities and ages.
society nsisting on treating people exactly the same, and demanding that everyone else do it too, even though they have very different personalities need and reactions!! yes!
Load More Replies...My sister used to under feed her boys cuz she didn't want them to "grow up fat".
Lying to the child. When I was 6 or 7 my mother promised she wouldn't try to pull out my loose tooth if I opened my mouth and let her look at it. I did, and she grabbed. After that, I no longer felt it was my duty to lways tell her the truth.
Absentee father and alcoholic mother. Last one to bed would cover up mama when she passed out on the couch. Never attending any function or event. Always late or forgetting to pick me up at school.
I understand the concept of "it takes a village to raise a child" but this village is tired of keeping an eye on your kids for you mr and mrs neighbors!
Oh god, some of these posts bring memories. Let me add a few more: locking up apples and other fruit from your kid because you’re on a special diet and you would not have enough, not watching if your kid bathes and changes clothes for school, telling your child random s**t like: tomorrow you’ll tell everyone at school I’m 29 (she was 37), telling your daughter she’d be so pretty if she dropped 7kg, letting your husband beat the child and when the child comes to you saying: it’s ok, he’s a prince who is protecting me from you (the mother from the child). And many more. There was a history of mother daughter abuse in my family. I think I ended that cycle. My therapist says so.
I don’t understand the people here who are sooo concerned about votes on articles. What’s it to you? If you find it sooo interesting that you feel the need to comment on nearly every article, why don’t you contact BP to see whether you can get a job with ‘em? Why force the rest of us to read your constant complaining? Seriously: it’s as if you have some sorta vested interest in it. Just get a job there so you can fix whatever it is you think is broken.
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