Louis CK: “My daughters, I think they really enjoy what I do. There are certainly some things they can’t see in Louie because … the language is grown-up, and is for adults. They know that. They get it. I’ve played them some George Carlin clips that have cursing in them. I explain it to my kids that some people get uncomfortable or their feelings get hurt by certain words, so you want to respect that in regular life, but there is a reason for these words. They’re not just ‘bad.’ So I’m bringing them along. They’ll see this stuff when it’s appropriate to see it.”
as i only know louis c.k.’s fatherhood from how he discusses it in interviews, and how it’s presented fictionally in the context of his comedy, i obviously don’t know enough to refer to him as some kind of ‘great dad.’ however, he is most assuredly a thoughtful one. i love this anecdote because it illustrates so much about what is wrong with the kind of reactionary parenting that, i think, comes from a place of fear (that the culture might somehow be poisoning our children), and which prevents kids from forming critical thinking skills at an early age. c.k.’s perspective is itself a form of handholding, but it’s imbued with a sense of context, and its not judgmental; treating children like they have the potential for understanding allows them to understand. and in a broader sense, it’s a reminder that parenting involves making hard choices that may run counter to whatever your local PTA preaches.
of course, i’m not a parent, so probably when i am i’ll just do whatever dr. phil tells me to. c’est la vie.
