The Grownups Code of Laws

September 30, 1961 (from Mary's Diary):

1. All grownups must curb a child's natural curiosity by saying "don't be fresh" to anything he says.
2. All grownups must never allow a child to have anything he wants even if the grownup shall want it too.
3. All grownups must accuse children of doing things they didn't do and then not allow them to defend themselves by saying, "Don't be fresh."
4. All grownups must try their best to poison children by feeding them garbage like rotten bananas that cannot be eaten without gagging. (Grownups need not eat anything unless they want to.)
5. All grownups must force kids to go to bed at outrageously early hours, even on weekends.
6. All grownups must be slave-drivers. It is necessary to make kids work, especially if they have other plans.
7. All grownups must not allow children to have any responsibility and must constantly remind them of their jobs even though the children are capable of doing them without prodding.
8. All grownups must remember never to be impartial and must always favor one child over another and be strictly unfair to one of them.

by Mother Dear and Father Dear