When You’re Older, You’ll Understand (Insight)

When You’re Older, You’ll Understand was difficult for me to write. I want to start this by saying I forgive my parents for everything, raising children is probably one of the hardest things someone can do. I understand what they’ve been through and that I could have had it worse, but this does not excuse their behavior. I think we as a people have been conditioned to believe that physical harm can be used as discipline when it is in fact abuse. The conversation is uncomfortable because if you were spanked or beaten as a child you have to accept that your parents abused you and if you yourself discipline your children the same way, you yourself are or have been abusive towards your children. In order to break the cycle, however, we must accept physical punishment for what it is, abuse. Children are the most vulnerable and defenseless people on this planet, hitting a co-worker when they make a mistake is wrong, hitting a spouse when you disagree is wrong, hitting your grandparents for forgetting is wrong, hitting children is always wrong. For me there is no debate about this topic. There are only negative behaviors that are learned: Lying, yelling, shutting down and becoming abusive just to name a few. This poem means a lot to me and helped me heal through writing. Everything this poem discusses is something I myself have experienced in my childhood. I hope you enjoy reading When You’re Older, You’ll Understand by Daniel Peiffer.

Bonus: Aug 2026. This is now my second published poem via New Medium magazine!