Parents on Trial! When Your Kid Thinks You’re Omnipotent (And the Trial Starts at 6:45 a.m.)

A couple of days ago, I was abruptly woken up by my 10-year-old daughter screaming, “Where’s my wallet?” at the top of her lungs.

Now, a 10-year-old with a wallet is already a curious situation. She doesn’t really need one and I knew we hadn’t taken it overseas with us on our recent trip. I vaguely remembered having a conversation about it a while back. But none of that mattered in that moment.

I was still lying horizontal, dazed, dragging my brain out of sleep, barely holding on to consciousness. My heart started racing because I could tell she was already halfway into meltdown territory.

I didn’t have an immediate answer. I was confused and slow to respond. And that silence felt like the prosecution in a courtroom waiting for my expert opinion.

Then she stormed out, shouting, “I hate you!”

Annoying? Yes. Hurtful? Sure. But I reflected later. The dynamic beneath the surface, the way kids assume parents are all-knowing, like omnipotent beings who must have all the answers instantly.

When I didn’t deliver, it wasn’t just frustration, perhaps it felt like a betrayal to her. Like I was deliberately withholding information or hiding something.

For parents, though, the truth is more mundane. Sometimes we’re just half-asleep, confused, and muddling through the chaos of daily life. Definitely not the omniscient superheroes our kids expect.

Parenting can sometimes be like being on trial for crimes you didn’t commit, judged by prosecutors who are still working out their own feelings!

I think it was a good reminder that in those moments, compassion, patience, calm boundaries, and a sense of humour are our best defence. 

We talked afterwards and laughed about the whole thing. And yes, we did find the wallet later in a not so obvious place.