Is this normal or AIBU?

[FlatWhiteFriday]

Prepared for the backlash and people telling me it’s none of my business but I just heard this conversation.

Eating in a fast food place and a dad sits with his two children, the girl no older than primary age (9 at most) demands lemonade that she’s asked for. Dad responds that she didn’t ask for that so she has orange, she then barrages her poor father with ‘you’re deaf, you never listen, you’re an idiot’ 😮. Poor dad.

More shocked he said nothing - which to be fair, in public what can you do but if definitely be telling them to not speak to me like that. I feel for the poor dad, regardless of him not chastising her.

Is this a sign of the change in times? I’d definitely be death stared and so much worse 20-25 years ago for even speaking to my mother in any sort of tone. AIBU or is this normal now?

Also, I have kids myself, I’d cry (secretly) if they ever seriously spoke to me this way.

No, not a sign of the times.

Libby Purves mentions (with disapproval, I hasten to add) similar scenes in her How Not To Be The Perfect Family, published in the early 90s.

Similar scenes can be found in fiction from the early 1900s.

Otoh I don't personally know a single child who would get away with it today.

So the conclusion probably is that most parents don't put up with it, now or in the past, but that a small number have probably always done so.