This is a really good song. A lot of people really need to hear it whether they are parents or children. Alanis is sort of being sarcastic in these lyrics. I remember hearing this song when I was 15 and thinking "Surely she can't be serious." My parents always made me feel like I was on top of the world. They have always been proud of me even though I was not perfect. The song is about parents who have unrealistic expectations for their children. You have to get that 4.0 every term. You have to get into this college. My great grandfather and his father before that went to this college. You have to win the state championship; I'm not having any losers in my family. Get out there and win! You have to get this part in the school play. You have to win the beauty pageant. I never won the beauty pageant when I was your age etc...There are a lot of parents who pull that kind of crap. You really see how ridiculous that type of parenting is when the song reaches the bridge. Some parents live through their children. It's a very small and selfish thing to do. That kind of pressure causes children psychological harm. They deserve better. They are entitled to better. Every parent needs to expect their kids to be the best that they can be, but no child is going to posess all of the qualities that those parents wanted for their children. A big part of love is acceptance. The message these kids get is "We love you just the way you are if you're perfect." A lot of times parents who raise their kids like that have an even more difficult time establishing relationships with them as adults. When those kids finally become their own people and move out they don't want anything to do with their parents. The parents can't figure out why. I had wonderful parents. This song just makes me appreciate my family more.
This is a really good song. A lot of people really need to hear it whether they are parents or children. Alanis is sort of being sarcastic in these lyrics. I remember hearing this song when I was 15 and thinking "Surely she can't be serious." My parents always made me feel like I was on top of the world. They have always been proud of me even though I was not perfect. The song is about parents who have unrealistic expectations for their children. You have to get that 4.0 every term. You have to get into this college. My great grandfather and his father before that went to this college. You have to win the state championship; I'm not having any losers in my family. Get out there and win! You have to get this part in the school play. You have to win the beauty pageant. I never won the beauty pageant when I was your age etc...There are a lot of parents who pull that kind of crap. You really see how ridiculous that type of parenting is when the song reaches the bridge. Some parents live through their children. It's a very small and selfish thing to do. That kind of pressure causes children psychological harm. They deserve better. They are entitled to better. Every parent needs to expect their kids to be the best that they can be, but no child is going to posess all of the qualities that those parents wanted for their children. A big part of love is acceptance. The message these kids get is "We love you just the way you are if you're perfect." A lot of times parents who raise their kids like that have an even more difficult time establishing relationships with them as adults. When those kids finally become their own people and move out they don't want anything to do with their parents. The parents can't figure out why. I had wonderful parents. This song just makes me appreciate my family more.