“Mama is her only epithet and synonym for God and the Government and the one force of majesty and intelligence obeying the call of pity, hunger, pain, cold, dark — MAMA, MAMA, MAMA.”
-Carl Sandburg, in: “Seventeen Months”
If you want to wound your daughter — or your son or nonbinary child — into one day becoming a fretfully young parent, it’s simple. Frown whenever she plays with dolls.
Knit your brow and go silent at her child-related questions. Gossip about your kids’ pregnant babysitter for being a divorced, single mom. Let your children overhear it.
And most importantly, neglect your daughter. Tell your little girl she’s “the best thing” you’ve ever done, but spend time with her rarely. And as a parting kiss to her short childhood, tell her you’d rather buy her some swim goggles than a Water Baby.