> and then deciding that you are raising them in a way you don't like, but doing it anyway That's really the thing here. The author realises these things are

> and then deciding that you are raising them in a way you don't like, but doing it anyway That's really the thing here. The author realises these things are manipulative, and perhaps have a negative influence on his child's ability to think and reason about the world, and yet he's still staying up in order to help him play them.