History Main / WhereDidWeGoWrong

* ''{{Trainspotting}}'': Renton's parents have this view toward him and it's justified considering he's a heroin addict. Sadly, he realizes how much they must be disappointed in him.

This trope is [[PlayedForLaughs played for laughs]] as often as it's [[PlayedForDrama played for drama]]. Usually, neither party is shown to be to blame but rather, both share it in one way or another.

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''{{Trainspotting}}'': Renton's parents have this view toward him and it's justified considering he's a heroin addict. Sadly, he realizes how much they must be disappointed in him.

* ''{{That 70s Show}}'': Red is usually disappointed at how goofy and nerdy his son is.

* Robin's dad on ''HowIMetYourMother'' tried his best to raise his kid up to be just like him... despite being a girl. He was more than upset when he caught her kissing a boy for the first time.

* [[http://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Story-Mans-Anguish-Confronting/dp/0751513105/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1288839789&sr=8-4 Lionel Dahmer]] was certainly at a loss for [[SerialKiller his son Jeffrey]]'s horrifying urges.

** A joke my father used to tell me was that kids in our very liberal town would rebel as teenagers by combing their hair and voting Republican.

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* On ''KingOfTheHill'', most plots involving Hank and his son Bobby will take a turn through this trope. Most of the episodes end with Hank learning AnAesop about accepting that his son's talents and interests are different from his, then StatusQuoIsGod will kick in and they get to recycle the plot with [[AesopAmnesia a different disappointment of Bobby's]].

** Actually, Laurie was Red's favorite, whereas Kitty was intimately aware of what Laurie was really like and thus favored Eric.

* A cartoon in the RockyAndBullwinkleShow featured a pair of parents who are jesters/clowns who has a son who wants to be a knight. Even the father flat out ask what did he do wrong.

"Where did we go wrong...? This trope was supposed to be like me, the {{Self Demonstrating Trope}}!"

"Where did we go wrong...? This trope was supposed to be like me, the {{Self Demonstrating Trope}} !"

* ''AmericanDad'' devoted an episode on Francine and Stan figuring out what they did wrong with Hayley by cloning Steve and experimenting with parenting styles.

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* In ''SabrinaOnline'', the same concept used in the DeviantArt comic is applied to one of the main characters - Sabrina's boyfriend. His parents are ultra-liberal flower-child hippies, and extremely open-minded -- and he rebelled by becoming a perfectly straight-laced IT graduate, working tech-support for Microsoft.

* ''AmericanDad'' devoted an episode on Francine and Stan figuring out what they did wrong with Hayley by cloneing Steve and experimenting with parenting styles.

* [[http://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Story-Mans-Anguish-Confronting/dp/0751513105/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1288839789&sr=8-4 Lionel Dahmer]] was certainly at a loss for his son Jeffrey's horrifying urges.

This trope is [[PlayedForLaughs played for laughs]] as often as it's [[PlayedForDrama played for drama]]. Usually, neither party is shown to be to blame. Many times, both parties share the blame in one way or another.

This trope is [[PlayedFprLaughs played for laughs as often as it's [[PlayedForDrama played for drama]]. Usually, neither party is shown to be to blame. Many times, both parties share the blame in one way or another.

This trope is played for laughs as often as it's played straight. Usually, neither party is shown to be to blame. Many times, both parties share the blame in one way or another.

Classic set-ups include a girl with a domineering StageMom, or a son being forced to hunt deer in a [[ARealManIsAKiller A Real Man Is A Hunter]] scene. In more dramatic works, a rebellious child might end up being [[MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal downright criminal.]]

* Both versions of ''FreakyFriday'' or its many rip-offs utilize this trope but also subvert it in that in the end, it's shown that the teenagers and parents were quite as different as initially believed.

New parents are usually just as happy as can be. They look forward raising their kids as idealized versions of themselves. Or at least copies of themselves. It is not [[AbusiveParents bad parenting]]; parents want their kids to share their cherished values and ideas, and avoid the same mistakes they made growing up.

''These'' kids ended up having their own views of how the world works. For better or worse, they don't share their parents interests, they don't want to enter the same career, or worst of all, they may not share their parents' [[BerserkButton political or religious views.]] This leads the parents to wonder, "Where did we go wrong?".

Classic set-ups include a girl with a domineering StageMom, or a son is being forced to hunt deer in a [[ARealManIsAKiller A Real Man Is A Hunter]] scene. In more dramatic works, a rebellious child might end up being [[MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal downright criminal.]]

Bob and Alice just had kids. They're as happy as can be and are looking forward to the future. They know exactly how they will raise their young ones: they'll be idealized versions of themselves, of course. At the very least, they'll be identical to themselves. It's not that Bob and Alice are [[AbusiveParents bad parents]] or anything. Just like any parent, they want to raise their children with their own values and ideas, ensuring that they won't make the same mistakes they made growing up.

Unfortunately (or not), that's not what happened.

The kids ended up having their own views of how the world works. For better or worse, they don't share their parents interests, they don't want to enter the same career, or worst of all, they may not share their parents' [[BerserkButton political or religious views.]] This could lead the parents to wonder, "Where did we go wrong?".

This trope is played for laughs as often as it's played straight. Usually, neither party is shown to be to blame. Many times, both parties share the blame in one way or another. This often results when a girl has a StageMom, or when the son is forced to hunt deer in a [[ARealManIsAKiller A Real Man Is A Hunter]] scene. In more dramatic works, such a child might end up being [[MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal downright criminal.]]

[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* In ''EveryoneSaysILoveYou'', there is a quick exchange between Alan Alda's character and his son over political beliefs. He playfully exclaims, "How did I end up with a kid on the other end of the political spectrum? How did I fail? Steffi, get me a copy of my will... and an eraser."

* Renton's parents in ''{{Trainspotting}}'' have this view toward him and it's justified considering he's a heroin addict. Sadly, he realizes how much they must be disappointed in him.
* Stevo's parents also seem to have this reaction in ''SLCPunk'' when Stevo is finally able to fully rebel without any parental repercussions. It should be noted that, while he does flip off his parents and shouts "Fuck you!," he also takes the time to mention that he loves them.
* Dr. Evil actually asks where he went wrong in response to Scott Evil not living up to his father's expectations in the first two ''AustinPowers'' movies. They reconcile in the third movie [[spoiler: although Dr. Evil does a HeelFaceTurn, leaving Scott as the lone BigBad.]]

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* Red is usually disappointed at how goofy and nerdy his son is on ''{{That 70s Show}}''.
* Alex P. Keaton was a business suit wearing Republican teenager born to hippy parents in ''FamilyTies''.
* Done on ''[[SeventhHeaven 7th Heaven]]'', where the Kamdens have to deal with their rebellious, eldest daughter.

[[AC: RealLife]]
* Disturbingly, the parents of the Columbine Killers had no idea what their boys were up to and were at a loss about what they did.
* [[http://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Story-Mans-Anguish-Confronting/dp/0751513105/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1288839789&sr=8-4 Lionel Dahmer]] was certainly at a loss for his son Jeffrey's horrifying urges.
* It's quite common for children raised in highly conservative families to grow up with the opposite viewpoints of their parents.
* This can happen to children raised in highly liberal families too. ThisTroper knows someone whose folks were total hippies, raised their son with a you're-free-to-do-anything attitude, etc, and as a rebellious teenager, he basically had nothing to rebel against. This frustrated him enough that when he went to college, he started going to church every week and taking life very seriously. He ended up becoming the one thing that he knew his parent would never approve of: a lawyer.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]
* Played with in [[http://joshnickerson.deviantart.com/art/Tattoo-Rebel-168895732 this]] comic on DeviantArt.

* In ''SabrinaOnline'', the same concept used in the DeviantArt comic is applied to one of the main characters - Sabrina's boyfriend. His parents are ultra-liberal flower-child hippies, and extremely open-minded - and he rebelled by becoming a perfectly straight-laced IT graduate, working tech-support for Microsoft.

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]
* Played straight on the AdultSwim show with a heavy case of CerebusSyndrome, ''MoralOrel''. This is also a case in which it's seen as a very good thing that the kid will not end up like his parents.

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* In ''EveryoneSaysILoveYou'', there is a quick exchange between Alan Alda's character and his son over political beliefs. He playfully exclaims, "How did I end up with a kid on the other end of the political spectrum? How did I fail? Steffi, get me a copy of my will... and an eraser."
* Both versions of FreakyFriday or its many rip-offs utilize this trope but also subvert it in that in the end, it's shown that the teenagers and parents were quite as different as initially believed.
* Renton's parents in {{Trainspotting}} have this view toward him and it's justified considering he's a heroin addict. Sadly, he realizes how much they must be disappointed in him.
* Stevo's parents also seem to have this reaction in SLCPunk when Stevo is finally able to fully rebel without any parental repercutions. It should be noted that, while he does flip off his parents and shouts "Fuck you!," he also takes the time to mention that he loves them.
* Dr. Evil actually asks where he went wrong in response to Scott Evil not living up to his father's expectations in the first two AustinPowers movies. They reconcile in the third movie [[spoiler: although Dr. Evil does a HeelFaceTurn, leaving Scott as the lone BigBad.]]

* Red is usually disappointed at how goofy and nerdy his son is on ''That70sShow''.

* Done on ''7thHeaven'', where the Kamdens have to deal with their rebellious, eldest daughter.

Bob and Alice just had kids. They're as happy as can be and are looking forward to the future. They know exactly how they will raise their young ones: they'll be idealized versions of themselves, of course. At the very least, they'll be identical to themselves. It's not that Bob and Alice are [[AbusiveParents bad parents]] or anything. Just like any parent, they want to raise their children with their own values and ideas, ensuring that they won't make the same mistakes they made growing up.

Unfortunately (or not), that's not what happened.

The kids ended up having their own views of how the world works. For better or worse, they don't share their parents interests, they don't want to enter the same career, or worst of all, they may not share their parents' [[BerserkButton political or religious views.]] This could lead the parents to wonder, "Where did we go wrong?".

This trope is played for laughs as often as it's played straight. Usually, neither party is shown to be to blame. Many times, both parties share the blame in one way or another. This often results when a girl has a StageMom, or when the son is forced to hunt deer in a [[ARealManIsAKiller A Real Man Is A Hunter]] scene. In more dramatic works, such a child might end up being [[MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal downright criminal.]]


Very common in sitcoms.

Compare this to IHaveNoSon. May result in WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent. Pretty much the attitude of the WellDoneSonGuy's father.

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[[AC: LiveActionTV]]

* Red is usually disappointed at how goofy and nerdy his son is on That70sShow.
* Alex P. Keaton was a business suit wearing Republican teenager born to hippy parents in FamilyTies.
* Played straight on [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ptitlescaawhvv?from=Main.SeventhHeaven 7thHeaven]] when the Kamdens have to deal with their rebellious, eldest daughter.
* Robin's dad on HowIMetYourMother tried his best to raise his kid up to be just like him... despite being a girl. He was more than upset when he caught her kissing a boy for the first time.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]

* In EveryoneSaysILoveYou, there is a quick exchange between Alan Alda's character and his son over political beliefs. He playfully exclaims, "How did I end up with a kid on the other end of the political spectrum? How did I fail? Steffi, get me a copy of my will... and an eraser."

[[AC: RealLife]]

* Disturbingly, the parents of the Columbine Killers had no idea what their boys were up to and were at a loss about what they did.
* [[http://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Story-Mans-Anguish-Confronting/dp/0751513105/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1288839789&sr=8-4 Lionel Dahmer]] was certainly at a loss for his son Jeffrey's horrifying urges.
* It's quite common for children raised in highly conservative families to grow up with the opposite viewpoints of their parents.
* This can happen to children raised in highly liberal families too. ThisTroper knows someone whose folks were total hippies, raised their son with a you're-free-to-do-anything attitude, etc, and as a rebellious teenager, he basically had nothing to rebel against. This frustrated him enough that when he went to college, he started going to church every week and taking life very seriously. He ended up becoming the one thing that he knew his parent would never approve of: a lawyer.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

* Played with in [[http://joshnickerson.deviantart.com/art/Tattoo-Rebel-168895732 this]] comic on DeviantArt.
* In NerfNow a father is horrified to discover his son is [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything a...casual gamer!]] He's later relieved when he sees him playing a game with a {{Touhou}} character.
* In SabrinaOnline, the same concept used in the DeviantArt comic is applied to one of the main characters - Sabrina's boyfriend. His parents are ultra-liberal flower-child hippies, and extremely open-minded - and he rebelled by becoming a perfectly straight-laced IT graduate, working tech-support for Microsoft.

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]

* Played straight on the AdultSwim show with a heavy case of CerebusSyndrome, MoralOrel. This is also a case in which it's seen as a very good thing that the kid will not end up like his parents.
* AmericanDad devoted an episode on Francine and Stan figuring out what they did wrong with Hayley by cloneing Steve and experimenting with parenting styles.
* On KingOfTheHill most plots involving Hank and his son Bobby will take a turn through this trope. Most of the episodes end with Hank learning AnAesop about accepting that his son's talents and interests are different from his, then StatusQuoIsGod will kick in and they get to recycle the plot with a different disappointment of Bobby's.