Multiple choice

A parent must be constant and even-handed to settle imposition of burdens and punishments and the distribution of liberties and reward. In good times, a parent who too quickly bestows rewards creates an expectation of future rewards that he may be unable to fulfill during bad times. In bad times, a parent who waits too long to impose the punishment gives the impression that his response was forced, and the child may interpret this as ___________. Which of the following represents the most critical continuation of the passage?

  1. a signal from his parent that the parent is no longer interested in the child's welfare

  2. a sign of weakness in the parent that he can exploit

  3. indicating a willingness on the part of the parent to bargain away liberties in exchange for the child's assuming some new responsibilities

  4. an open invitation to retaliate

  5. a symbol of his becoming an adult
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

(2) The argument for consistency is that it avoids the danger that actions will be misinterpreted. If a parent is overly generous, a child will think the parent will always be generous, even when generosity is inappropriate. By the same token, if a parent does not draw the line until he is pushed to do so, the child will believe that he forced the parent's response. A parent, so goes the argument, should play it safe and leave himself a cushion.

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