Here’s another one.
My youngest was a gifted bassoonist. It just came easily to her. When in Jr High, she entered and won a regional competition. There were money prizes, to be awarded at a concert of all the winners.
So, leading up to the concert, I kept asking her, “Do you think you should practice your piece?” Over and over, “No, dad - I’ve got this!” So eventually I stopped bugging her.
Concert day comes along, she goes up there to play her piece - with piano accompaniment - and SPECTACULARLY CRASHES AND BURNS! I mean, as badly as you could imagine any musician shitting the bed, she shat it worse.
Now I give my kids no end of praise when they do something well - or even make a good effort, but I don’t compliment shit. So when she came back to her seat, I said, “Well, THAT sucked!” All these other parents were comforting her and saying, “Oh it wasn’t that bad.” No! It WAS that bad!
She has since told me it was shitty of me to say that. Maybe it was. But among the countless decisions and actions I made raising 3 kids, telling a kid she screwed up because she was too lazy, and forcing me to sit thru that debacle - well - I kinda consider that a high point.