“Daddy, I don’t think parents
and children can have a fair argument, do you?” ten-year old Meggie, asked her
father. “Parents always win.”
“Parents don’t always win,”
replied her father, “That is a controversial statement, to say the least. Where is my daughter coming
from?” he wondered. “She’s growing up too fast!”
“See, right away, you used a
big word that I do not understand. That is not really fair, as there is no way I can
win unless I understand what you are saying,” replied Meggie. “Daddy, what does
controversial mean?”
“Let me explain it to you.
Say you and I are having an argument, or disagreement about something. You take
one side and I take the other side. That is also a dispute.”
“Like when I say parents and
children can never have a fair argument?”
“That is right. I disagree with
what you said, because I think that parents and children can have a fair
argument. Disagreements of any kind can turn into heated arguments, or public
arguments that lead to controversy, which may involve other people and then, they take
sides.”
“Like the king and the king’s
men, siding together against a person like Robin Hood?”
“More like when you and I have
an argument and all of your classmates side with you, while your mother and
brothers take my side.”
“Like if I say ten year old
girls are smarter than ten year old boys?”
“That could be a good example
of a controversial topic that might involve the opinions of others. The ten
year old girls in your class might agree, but I don’t think that the ten year
old boys in your class would.”
“What side would you and Mommy
take?”
“That could turn into an
interesting debate.”
“See Daddy, I cannot win an
argument because you always use words I don’t understand. What is a debate?”
“Maybe we should ask your mother
to buy a dictionary for you?”
“We don’t need to do that,
Daddy. There is a dictionary on the computer.”
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