If you have never been hated by your child you have never been a parent.

The line frames parenting as an inherently conflictual role: to guide a child responsibly often requires setting limits that a child may experience as unfair or hostile in the moment. “Hated” is hyperbolic, but it underscores the emotional cost of authority—discipline, refusal, and boundary‑setting can temporarily damage affection even when motivated by care. The aphorism also pushes back against idealized images of constant parental harmony, implying that a parent who is never resented may be avoiding necessary confrontation or prioritizing approval over guidance. Read charitably, it normalizes episodic anger in parent–child relationships and treats it as evidence of engaged, consequential parenting rather than failure.