I'm sure that is a big part of it, but another part of it is expectations of parents and parents actually being parents. I'm sorry, but I know I'm not going to always be liked by my child, and that's OK. My role is to make sure that my child becomes an intelligent, responsible contributor to society. Many parents want to be liked by their kids all the time, and will take their child's side in any issue with school. I've had a few friends who are teachers in the public schools share some serious horror stories of parents yelling at them, talking badly to them, just because they're taking their child's side because they believe their child can do no wrong.