History Main / WasTooHardOnHim

* Firestar from ''WarriorCats'' feels upset that his daughter Squirrelpaw (later Squirrelflight) ran away because of what he said. When he realizes that he told her she wouldn't be a warrior if she kept meeting with Brambleclaw (who's from the same Clan but he's keeping them away for a slight reason), [[ItsAllMyFault he blames himself]].

It can involve two siblings, [[HeterosexualLifePartners two friends]], or a married couple. Reconciliation is always optional, but if not, then the relationship will harden and may be broken. This may cause the audience to sympathize the parent for the one doing the right-but-not-nice thing as well as the one who has made an error.

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': Before [[HeroicSacrifice dying to save Gohan]] from an attack from Nappa, Piccolo apologizes to Gohan for being so tough on him in the {{Training From Hell}}.

* Referenced in the follwing joke, which was done in the {{Talent Show}} portion of ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds'':

-->'''Guy #1''': [[Series/{{Leave It To Beaver}} "Ward, I think you were a little hard on the Beaver last night]]."

* In the ''Series/FullHouse'' episode "Joey Gets Tough", Joey, who plays the {{Parental Substitute}} for Danny, asks Jesse about how D.J. feels after he grounded her for sneaking to karate class.

* This doubles with {{Why Did You Make Me Hit You}} in the second season of ''{{Rescue Me}}'' where Sheila's lesbian lover beats her in a fit of jealous rage. After that, she comes to console her, saying "I'm sorry I was so rough with you, but sometimes you just make me so angry."

* Literature/{{The Bible}}: Jeremiah 8:21 shows us that even {{God}} is unhappy about punishing His creation for their sins:

* In ''VideoGame/WorldInConflict'', Col. Sawyer is emotionally distraught by the fact that he previously treated Capt. Bannon like crap (entirely justifiably, by the way), after [[spoiler: Bannon pulls a {{You Shall Not Pass}} on the Soviets and dies by nuke]]. This, along with general stress upon him, contributes to Sawyer making several strategic mistakes late in the campaign.

* Stewie asks this to Brian when he spanks Chris while acting as a {{Parental Substitute}} in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "North By North Quahog", despite that Chris was [[NeverMyFault framed by a student for drinking vodka]].

* Played to it's most poignant tee in the ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' {{Christmas Special}}. After Brain repeatedly chews out Pinky for ignoring their plan for his Christmas letter, driving Pinky to tears, he eventually reads the letter out of curiosity, to find it is a touching speech about his 'best friend in the world, the Brain' that asks Santa to give all of Pinky's gifts to him, since he never gets the reward he deserves. While he does not mention this trope, the [[TearsOfRemorse emotional exchange]] makes it very clear how he feels.
* Done similarly in the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Sisterhooves Social" after a fight with Sweetie Belle over causing problems including, among other things, using all her gems to make a picture, Rarity begins to dwell over this. The final nail in the coffin is when she finally looks at the picture Sweetie Belle made; her and her big sister inside a giant heart made of gems. Cue hammy {{My God What Have I Done}}.

* In the ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "The Mutants Are Revolting", Leela yells at Fry when she's banished to the sewers after he inadvertently revealed she was a mutant. She later remarks "Maybe I saw too hard on him. He didn't ruin my life on purpose."

* In the ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "The Mutants Are Revolting", Leela yells at Fry when she's banished to the sewers after he inadvertently revealed she was a mutant. She later remarks "Maybe I saw too hard on him. He didn't ruin my life on purpose".

* It also happens to Samson and his son Ryan from ''TheWild''. Right when Samson yells at his son for causing them the game out of "jealousy" that he couldn't roar, Ryan flinches. Samson sees this and apologizes right away, but Ryan inverts the IHaveNoSon trope by saying he wishes his father really ''wasn't'' his father.

* In the S.E. Hinton book ''TheOutsiders'', Danny cries to Ponyboy who was in the hospital, but Ponyboy comes to realize that Danny is acting hard with him throughout the story because he wants a future for him.

Let's say that a child is misbehaving badly or did something he know he isn't supposed to do. The parent comes in to do what he has to do and that is to punish his child. As soon as the parent is finished chastising his wailing child, he feels this displeasure inside him. Asking him this question "Am I being too hard on him?" Another character, usually the parent's friend, would usually object and says he's doing the right thing and the child will get used to being disciplined sooner or later. At the end though, either the child will come to the parent and apologizes for misbehaving and promises to become more mature and responsible while the parent apologizes for his harshness or that the child will become even more rebellious and develop resentment towards the parent.

It can involve two siblings, [[HeterosexualLifePartners two friends]], or a married couple. Reconciliation is always optional, but if not, then the relationship will harden and may be broken. This may evoke the audience's sympathy for the one doing the right-but-not-nice thing as well as the recipient.

Compare {{Minor Insult Meltdown}} which is where the victim being punished will fall into this. Also compare {{My God What Have I Done}} which the action was reprehensible and is ''not'' justified, but the character regrets it. A rather lighter version of {{Dirty Business}}. See also {{Jerkass Realization}} and {{Made Out To Be A Jerkass}}.

May be {{Alas Poor Villain}} if taken to extremes. A [[BewareTheNiceOnes nice guy who had his buttons pushed]] can experience this. Can somewhat be a {{Family Unfriendly Aesop}} since this is about a person feeling remorseful for their justified actions towards the person who shouldn't have done wrong to them in the first place. Can be {{Truth In Television}} to parents who usually say to their child "This is hurting me more than it's hurting you." This is often the reaction to a child being {{The Runaway}}. Can be why BeingGoodSucks.

* In the third ''Film/{{Madagascar}}'' film, Alex and the others decide to track down the penguins and chimps, thinking that they had abandoned them in Africa despite planning to come back for them. As part of an elaborate plan to confront them, Alex decides that step 1 is meeting them, step 2 is to give them hell for abandoning them, and step 3 is to realize that they were too hard on them and apologize. The plan ends up going off the rails, and Alex accidently skips to step 3 when they meet them. Skipper accepts the apology without question, and orders his men to move out. Alex angrily realizes that he told them he was sorry without chewing them out first.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'': The titular sailor feels a bit guilty for [[SpankTheCutie spanking]] Sweeptee, who ran away because of it.

Let's say that a child is misbehaving badly or did something he know he isn't supposed to do. The parent comes in to do what he has to do and that is to punish his child. As soon as the parent is finished chastising his wailing child, he feels this displeasure inside him. Asking him this question "Am I being too hard on him?" Another character, usually the parent's friend, would usually object and says he's doing the right thing and the child will get used to being disciplined sooner or later. At the end though, the child will come to the parent and apologizes for misbehaving and promises to become more mature and responsible while the parent apologizes for his harshness. [[{{Crowning Moment Of Heartwarming}} All is forgiven and forgotten]].

May be {{Alas Poor Villain}} if taken to extremes. A [[BewareTheNiceOnes nice guy who had his buttons pushed]] can experience this. Can somewhat be a {{Family Unfriendly Aesop}} since this is about a person feeling remorseful for their justified actions towards the person who shouldn't have done wrong to them in the first place.

Can be {{Truth In Television}} to parents who usually say to their child "This is hurting me more than it's hurting you." This is often the reaction to a child being {{The Runaway}}.

It can involve two siblings, [[HeterosexualLifePartners two friends]], or a married couple. Reconciliation is always optional, but if not, then the relationship will harden and may be broken.

* ''Manga/{{Dragonball}}'': Before [[HeroicSacrifice dying to save Gohan]] from an attack from Nappa, Piccolo apologizes to Gohan for being so tough on him in the {{Training From Hell}}.

* In the S.E. Hinton book ''The Outsiders'', Danny cries to Ponyboy who was in the hospital, but Ponyboy comes to realize that Danny is acting hard with him throughout the story because he wants a future for him.

* [[OverprotectiveDad Marlin]] feels this way about Nemo in ''Film/FindingNemo''.

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* This doubles with {{Why Did You Make Me Hit You}} in the second season of {{Rescue Me}} where Sheila's lesbian lover beats her in a fit of jealous rage. After that, she comes to console her, saying "I'm sorry I was so rough with you, but sometimes you just make me so angry."

* ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddparents''. In the end of episode "Pipe Down", Timmy's Dad apologizes to Timmy for yelling at him for the charade incident with the Dinklebergs.

When it comes to doing something that is the right thing to do, we will find out that it [[GoodIsNotNice isn't really nice]]. Many of these things are [[WhatTheHellHero reproving a character]] for doing something that is either stupid or immoral, but because the wrongdoer seems [[MinorInsultMeltdown traumatically hurt by his harsh words]], this also brings sorrow to the other who did what has to be done. It can also be a character showing sorrow of [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan physically harming another]] for seemingly in the verge of losing control of himself.

While common examples of this trope would be a parent and a child, this doesn't always have to be this way. It can involve two siblings, [[HeterosexualLifePartners two friends]], or a married couple. Reconciliation is always optional, but if not, then the relationship will harden and may be broken.

* In the ''Series/FullHouse'' episode "Joey Gets Tough", Joey, who plays the {{Parental Substitute}} for Danny, asks Jesse about how D.J. feels after he grounded her from sneaking to karate class.
** Another example is when Jesse seems a bit hurt when both Nicky and Alex called him "mean daddy".

* Done similarly in the ''{{My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic}}'' episode "Sisterhooves Social" after a fight with Sweetie Belle over causing problems including, among other things, using all her gems to make a picture, Rarity begins to dwell over this. The final nail in the coffin is when she finally looks at the picture Sweetie Belle made; her and her big sister inside a giant heart made of gems. Cue hammy {{My God What Have I Done}}.

When it comes to doing something that is the right thing to do, we will find out that it isn't particularly [[GoodIsNotNice nice]]. One of these good-but-not-nice things is [[WhatTheHellHero reproving a character]] for doing something that is either stupid or immoral, but because the wrongdoer seems [[MinorInsultMeltdown traumatically hurt by his harsh words]], this also brings sorrow to the other who did what has to be done. It can also be a character showing sorrow of [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan physically harming another]] for seemingly in the verge of losing control of himself.

For example, let's say that a child is misbehaving badly or did something he know he isn't supposed to do. The parent comes in to do what he has to do and that is to punish his child. As soon as the parent is finished chastising his wailing child, he feels this displeasure inside him. Asking him this question "Am I being too hard on him?" Another character, usually the parent's friend, would usually object and says he's doing the right thing and the child will get used to being disciplined sooner or later. At the end though, the child will come to the parent and apologize for misbehaving and promises to become more mature and responsible while the parent will apologize for his harshness. [[{{Crowning Moment Of Heartwarming}} All is forgiven and forgotten]].

While common examples of this trope would be a parent and a child, this doesn't always have to be this way. It can be two siblings, [[HeterosexualLifePartners two friends]], or a married couple. They will experience the guilt after setting the other straight for their transgressions. Reconciliation is always possible, but if not, then the relationship gets colder and harder.

May be {{Alas Poor Villain}} if taken to extremes. A [[BewareTheNiceOnes nice guy who had his buttons pushed]] can experience this. Can somewhat be a {{Family Unfriendly Aesop}} since this is about a person feeling remorseful for their actions towards the person who shouldn't have done wrong to them in the first place.

* In the ''Series/FullHouse'' episode "Joey Gets Tough", Joey, who plays the {{Parental Substitute}} for Danny, asks Jesse about how D.J. feels after he grounds her from sneaking to karate class.

-->'''Guy #1''': [[Series/{{Leave It To Beaver}} "Ward, I think you were a little hard on the Beaver last night]]."

* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', Sonic states he can't forgive himself for making Tails run away because he scolded Tails for putting himself in danger of [[BigBad Dr. Robotnik]]'s trap.

* ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'' hilariously played with this trope in the episode "Asses To Ashes" where Carlton, Hilary, and Ashley chewed out Will for (accidentally) killing Judge Robertson. Then Will starts wailing like a little kid and the three were a bit shocked. This led Carlton saying "I could be wrong."

* The ''Literature/LeftBehind'' series has {{God}} and {{Jesus}} who did not enjoy sending the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the undecided to the [[FireAndBrimstoneHell Lake of Fire]] for eternity. This quote from Jesus sums this up:

* In the S.E. Hinton book ''The Outsiders'', Danny cries to Ponyboy who was in the hospital, but Ponyboy comes to realize that Danny is acting hard with him throughout the story because he wants a future for him.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'': The titular character feels a bit guilty for [[SpankTheCutie spanking]] Sweeptee, who ran away because of it.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', we have Sonic who states he can't forgive himself for making Tails run away because he scolded him for putting himself in danger of [[BigBad Dr. Robotnik]]'s trap.
* In the episode "Big Fat Alien Wedding" of ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'', Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson apologized to Camille for being tough on her, but this was due to them being against the wedding due to her being a sludgepuppy, which they despise. She instantly forgives them and accepts them into the family, though.