These are popular games parents play with their children, but unlike many games, these ones are not emotionally healthy. These games do not build strong family bonds, nor are they games a child will look back on fondly.
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Maybe for Christmas
Who has not played this game, or had it played on them when they were young? An easy excuse for a parent not to have to say "NO" is by telling the kid to wait for Christmas. A popular variation of this game is "Wait for your Birthday".
Go Ask Your Mom
When a child asks one parent if they can do something, or have something, and that parent tells them to refer to the other parent, it is not only a mean game played on the child, but an equally mean game played on the other parent. This "game" is played by one parent who does not want to be the "bad guy" so they put the responsibility on the other parent.
If Your Dad Says it's Okay
Along the same lines as the previous game, this one puts the burden of responsibility on one parent. Either that parent makes the decision to please the child, or disappoint them. It is one parents way of avoiding saying the wrong thing.
Why Can't You be More Like Your Sister?
This one is down right evil. This one is not a game that involves the other parent, this game is somewhat worse because it contributes to the horror of sibling rivalry. Pitting one child against the other in a competition. Sometimes certain kids are better at certain things, unfortunately if these things just happen to be something that the parent finds important, more important than something the other child is good at, it becomes a heated battle. One child is never good enough, they are told to be like the other child, thus making them feel bad, not only about themselves, but possibly will cause them to resent, or even hate, their sibling.
Your Mother Said
When one parent leaves instructions for a child to do something by telling the other parent, and that parent puts it in the context of "Your mother said you have do clean your room." or whatever, this is a bad game. In this case, "the mother" should have told the child them self, or the referring parent simply could have given the instruction as though it came from them, as such "You need to clean your room.". This game makes the other parent seem like a bully.
What Would Your Father Say?
Another of the many games that pits one parent against the other, a basic way for one parent to avoid being the bad guy, and putting the blame on the other. In many ways this game puts a subtle bully status on the other parent, because they are being used as a threat, the next game follows through on this one.
Just Wait Until Your Father Gets Home
This game makes the child afraid of one parent, because basically that parent is being used as a threat.
If one parent is home when a problem occurs they should deal with it themselves, and deal with it immediately. Playing the game of making the other parent deal out the discipline, is simply unfair to that parent, and the child.
If You're Not Good, Santa Won't Bring You Any Gifts
An easy game to play for the month of December.When You're Older
Sometimes this one is legitimate, often it is a parents way of putting off an issue rather than saying "NO". The idea behind this game, is that the parent hopes the child forgets. The problem exists that kids seldom forget promises broken, and to a child this game sounds like a promise.If You Don't Look After the Pet, We Get Rid of It
This is one of the meanest games ever played. Not only does this game hurt the child, but it ultimately hurts the pet. Children cannot be asked to undertake, or accept a "lifetime commitment". Many pets are not able to find homes, especially cats who are no longer cute kittens, or dogs who have outgrown being a pup. Children should NEVER be told they are 100% responsible for a pets care. If parent does not want the responsibility of a pet, they simply should not get one. This game removes a level of trust and innocence. In some cases it harms the child's own level of responsibility, or even ability to maintain a relationship later in life, as their own parent, has just shown them that all life, all commitments, are disposable.
I find #10 to be the most vile game, as it punishes an animal for something the child did not do, also most places will not sell pets to children, so therefore it is the adult who REALLY is the pet owner, and needs to step up if the child fails.