I think the disrespectful jerk who needs an attitude adjustment is LW, actually. I mean, the kid may be poking at him deliberately (and what else is he supposed to do, with a corrupt authority he has no power over, besides indicate "I don't respect you" and look for allies to defend him?), and his wife needs to figure out better arguments than "you're not his real father" because that's a stinker, but she's not wrong to defend her son from an adult who wants to pointlessly power-trip on him, father or not.
"I firmly believe a child should show respect to his parents."
This is a screaming red flag to me. People who say things like this a) mean deference and submission, not respect, and b) have no valid argument to use against the behavior they don't like, which is why they are using a fallacious argument from authority. Defer to people older than you! Because I said so! I have no respect for you as an intelligent being, so I will not employ reasons! Bow to me!
The two examples he uses of "disrespect" are laughably absurd. Asking who a member of your household was talking to, or where they're planning to go when they go out? That's, like, ordinary conversation. Replying with "I'm the adult, I don't answer to [you]" makes LW a caricature of a Authoritative Asshole Dad. I don't think he deserves the deference he wants and I hope he never gets it.
(Also I kinda hope that the wife and son leave him? But maybe therapy might help him realize that he shouldn't be making his family relationships into power struggles he has to Win to prove his manliness.)
no subject
"I firmly believe a child should show respect to his parents."
This is a screaming red flag to me. People who say things like this a) mean deference and submission, not respect, and b) have no valid argument to use against the behavior they don't like, which is why they are using a fallacious argument from authority. Defer to people older than you! Because I said so! I have no respect for you as an intelligent being, so I will not employ reasons! Bow to me!
The two examples he uses of "disrespect" are laughably absurd. Asking who a member of your household was talking to, or where they're planning to go when they go out? That's, like, ordinary conversation. Replying with "I'm the adult, I don't answer to [you]" makes LW a caricature of a Authoritative Asshole Dad. I don't think he deserves the deference he wants and I hope he never gets it.
(Also I kinda hope that the wife and son leave him? But maybe therapy might help him realize that he shouldn't be making his family relationships into power struggles he has to Win to prove his manliness.)