（一）

Ever since I was a girl my own mother vowed

I must find the way to power through a noble brow

I married once for love then my senses came

I must marry for the stature of my husband’s name

Onto marriage number two

I knew what I had to do

and my poor husband fell ill in a year or two

solved problem number one, now to problem number two

His doe-eyed little girl with gentle point of view

Would I ship her off to school?

No! I told her if she stayed that she’d have to earn her keep

and so she became the maid!

She was lazy!

She was Crazy!

She was talking to the mice!

She was hopelessly naive, so she had to pay the price.

I moved her to the attic out of sight and out of mind.

I could have thrown her out, but I’m benevolent and kind.

Mother, your heart’s too big for you!

I knew what I had to do

After all, difficult children will take advantage of your good nature.

So, you lock them up

Throw away the key!

There’s one on every family tree

Ungrateful!

Hateful!

Vile too!

（二）

The things she put you through!

Break their spirit so they obey!

Now they’ll do anything you say

Maybe you’d call it cruel but

others would call it love

Tough Love!

I ask you, is it a crime to strive for perfection in all things?

Oh, no, they're so cute when they're little but then they grow up and just…

ruin everything!

I never wanted children

life was better on my own

all the screaming, nagging chilled me to the bone!

But then one day I came across a flower growing free

its magic kept me young, so I kept it all for me!

But someone dug it up now a baby held the power

so, I "borrowed “her and locked her up and hid her in a tower!

Years went by, OH!

The sacrifice and against my better judgment, I fed her once or twice.

Teenagers now I know I wild eat their young

But that's messy

manipulations' easily more fun

A little guilt, a lot of force, of course you have to lie

remind them without you, they’d shrivel up and die!

They only have themselves to blame!

（三）

If you'd been there, you'd do the same

So, work them hard ‘til they fall in line

There's one way and it's only mine

Children are lazy

Spoiled too

But we know what to do!

Govern them with a heart of stone

Lock them up so they're all alone

Maybe you'd call it cruel but,

others would call it love, tough love!

Ugh!Her own tower with a water view

and she runs away the first chance she gets

These wretched brats think the world owes them something

But it doesn’t

Far and wide I rule the kingdom with a heavy hand

but there was more I had in mind a greater plan

I never cared to share, so The King would have to fall

But his child blocked the way to me and “Fairest of them all”

She was chubby. She was dumb

and grotesquely optimistic

She needed structure in her life! She wasn’t realistic

I gave her chores and took away the things that she’d enjoy

but then I caught her singing songs with birds and then a boy!

Love?!Was I just sit by and wait?!

for her to take my crown? NO

（四）

she had sealed her fate!

She had to go, and so she did and you know what they say

“An apple once a day keeps your enemies away”

Don’t be fooled by their tender smile!

give an inch and they’ll run a mile!

Our idea of a happy home

Is one where we live all alone!

Dark, Depressing, Desolate!

Now let’s all drink to that!

call us “wicked” and call us “mean”

“Cruel” and everything in between

You could say it’s unjust

Turning their dreams to dust

This is what we call love

Tough Love!