Mom & Dad Are Always Right - Barry Louis Polisar

Mom and Dad are always right and I am always wrong.

They tell me that I eat too much and that I take too long.

My grades at school aren't good enough, I don't do what I should.

They tell me that I'm pretty dumb, I guess I'm not so good.

They yell at me and tell me that I disobey their rules;

I sleep too much, I miss the bus, I'm always late for school.

When we go out to dinner, I always spill my drink,

I drop my spoon and spill my soup; was born this was they think.

Dad says he was stronger when he was half my age.

Mom never got dirty when she went out to play.

I guess they both were perfect kids when they were young like me;

They always did what they were told and that's how I should be.

I guess I'm just a naughty boy--that's what they always say,

Then they wonder why it is that I turned out this way.

But you can't be perfect all the time--you can't always be good.

Everybody makes mistakes and everybody should.

Mom and Dad aren't always right and I'm not always wrong.

I don't think that I eat too much or that I take too long.

And one thing that I know for sure that they don't understand;

I'm smarter than my Mommy and Daddy think I am.

Mom says that I'm clumsy and I'm just a little brat;

Somehow I accidentally spill my milk into her lap.

Dad says I'm no help at all--I just get in his way;

So when I should be helping him, I go outside and play.