# Characters who, while trying to do the right thing, put their kids through hell?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-who-while-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-put-their-kids-through-hell/608828>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 8, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-who-while-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-put-their-kids-through-hell/608828 "2012-01-08T15:48:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-who-while-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-put-their-kids-through-hell/608828/21 "2012-01-09T19:27:11Z")

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> [@Martian Bigfoot](#):
>
> Two more words: Big Daddy.
> 
> (Edit: If that counts. I guess maybe not.)

I think it would count for the movie, where Big Daddy was a real cop who really was framed by the bad guy. But in the graphic novel, he was just a crazy accountant with too many comic books who kidnapped his daughter to keep her from being boring.

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**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-who-while-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-put-their-kids-through-hell/608828/22 "2012-01-09T20:06:08Z")

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> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> I think most of the examples people come up with will have the parents rationalize that it’s for the greater good.

On the other hand, it’s not always the case that the kids are targeted by evil forces, essentially independently of the choices that the parents made. As I understand it, no matter how cuddly of a childhood Sarah was able to give John Connor - that would be at best postponing the hell he has to suffer.

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**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-who-while-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-put-their-kids-through-hell/608828/23 "2012-01-09T21:18:13Z")

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My first thought was the _South Park_ movie.

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**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-who-while-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-put-their-kids-through-hell/608828/24 "2012-01-09T22:55:22Z")

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Corbin Bersen’s character in _Psych_? Didn’t exactly put his son through _hell_, but he was pretty set on making sure his son would grow up to be a cop.

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