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Being a parent does not give you an excuse for bad manners.

Kids nowadays, I remember when I was in school, they were just rude, even to the teachers and stuff.

All parents are an embarrassment to their kids. Often, grandparents are the relief. Kids don't have to resist you.

To all the parents out there, thank you for allowing me to be a role model for your children. I really, really do not take that for granted.

I don't claim to know everything about parenting, but I do know parents do their children a disservice by constantly sugarcoating their shortcomings to protect their feelings.

I told my kids when they were little, 'Look, kids, your mother and I are screwing you up somehow. We don't understand how, or we wouldn't do it. But we're parents. So somehow we're damaging you, and I want you to know that early. So just ignore me when I go to that part of my parenting.'

People are always surprised when they spend time with my children by how normal they are. They're polite. They're well mannered. They're very down to earth, in a way.

It is impossible to treat a child too well. Children are spoiled by being ignored too much or by harshness, not by kindness.

My parents never condescended to me. As a child, I always sat at the head of our dinner table. I was always given a lot of responsibility.