The child should be free to say anything to his parent, including "I don't like you, Daddy," or "You weren't fair with me, Mother." These expressions of true feeling should not be suppressed, provided they are said in a respectful manner. There is a thin line between what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior at this point. The child's expression of strong feeling, even resentment and hostility, should be encouraged if it exists. But the parent should prohibit the child from resorting to name-calling and open rebellion. "Daddy, you hurt my feelings in front of my friends and you were unkind to me" is an acceptable statement; "You stupid idiot, why didn't you shut up when my friends were here?!" is obviously unacceptable. If approached rationally as depicted in the first statement, it would be wise for daddy to sit down and try to understand the child's viewpoint. Dad should be big enough to apologize to the child if he feels he was wrong. If he was right, however, he should calmly explain why he reacted as he did and tell the child how they can avoid the collision next time. It is possible to communicate without sacrificing parental respect, and the child should be taught how to express his discontent.