Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Talk about setting the bar to a low standard....

Many of us want better for our children then we were able to do for ourselves. For instance if Dad rode a cycle w/o helment and suffered lifelong injuries, he might advise his son to always wear a helmet. Is that hypocracy or wisdom? Suppose Dad drove while drunk and killed a family of four. Would it be hypocracy for him to urge his children to never do what he did? Examples could be multiples endlessly, but you get the idea. We truly hate our children when we desire that they make the same mistakes that we did. Only if you are so full of yourself would you want your children to behave as you did.