Shubha j Shashidhar

WHEN A PARENT BECOMES A TROLLER When Sarcasm at Home Comes Back with Wi-Fi Once upon a time, trolls lived under bridges. Today, they hide behind screens. But here’s the twist: some trolls don’t need Wi-Fi. They operate comfortably from the family dining table! MEET THE PARENTAL TROLLER A parental troller is a father or mother who uses sarcasm, ridicule, and humiliation as parenting tools, followed by the convenient disclaimer: “Arre, I was only joking!” Really? Because the teenager certainly isn’t laughing. “Look at Sharmaji’s son!” “Oh, His Highness has finally woken up!” “With your intelligence, even Google will resign!” Funny once, perhaps. But when sarcasm becomes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, emotional indigestion is inevitable. WHEN THE TROLL COMES HOME A friend once shared a disturbing situation involving her teenage son and husband. The father was a champion of sarcasm. Every mistake invited ridicule. Every disagreement became an opportunity to belittle his son. Lazy. Irresponsible. Good-for-nothing. The labels flowed freely. Then came the digital retaliation. The teenager began trolling his father incessantly on Facebook. Every post attracted mocking comments and embarrassing remarks. The furious father protested, “How dare my son disrespect me publicly!” The irony was unmistakable. Papa used the dining table. Beta discovered Meta. Same language, different platform! The son’s behaviour was unacceptable. But wasn’t the father providing daily lessons in disrespect? CHILDREN OFTEN LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF HUMILIATION LONG BEFORE THEY LEARN TO TYPE IT. THE INVISIBLE DAMAGE Adolescence is when identity, confidence, and independence begin to take shape. Repeated ridicule can damage three essential foundations. Confidence: Constant labels such as “stupid” or “useless” can become a teenager’s inner voice. Connection: Why share fears or failures with someone who turns every confession into a comedy show? Growth: Fear of humiliation discourages curiosity, experimentation, and the willingness to learn from mistakes. Sarcasm may win an argument but lose a relationship. FROM DINING TABLE TO DIGITAL WORLD Not every bullied child becomes a bully. Many grow into compassionate adults. However, humiliation, neglect, and poor communication can contribute to aggression. Patriarchal conditioning adds another layer. “Boys don’t cry!” “Be a man!” When vulnerability is mocked and aggression is celebrated, healthy emotional expression suffers. Social media offers anonymity, an audience, and the illusion of consequence-free retaliation. A teenager who feels powerless at home may discover a sense of artificial power behind a username. The bullied may become the bully. The silenced may become the loudest voice online. PARENTS, RETIRE FROM THE SARCASM DEPARTMENT! Replace “You’re hopeless!” with “Let’s discuss what went wrong.” Replace “Your phone deserves a degree!” with “Let’s agree on screen-time boundaries.” Direct communication isn’t permissive parenting. Firmness and respect can coexist. Teachers and coaches must reinforce respectful communication, but parents carry the primary responsibility. THE FINAL WORD Before blaming social media trolls, examine the language spoken at home. You cannot serve sarcasm for breakfast, humiliation for lunch, and ridicule for dinner, then expect empathy for dessert! A stranger’s trolling may hurt temporarily. A parent’s ridicule can echo for years. Dear parents, don’t become the first troll your child encounters—or the troll your child eventually imitates. Correct the behaviour, not the child’s worth. Build the bond, not the bully. Shubha J. Shashidhar Parenting Coach Sakhi Shubha Author of My Tool Kit for Life: Simple Tools for Profound Impact

WHEN A PARENT BECOMES A TROLLER When Sarcasm at Home Comes Back with Wi-Fi Once upon a time, trolls lived under bridges. Today, they hide behind...

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