The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
{{quote|''"Physician, heal thyself!"''|'''[[The Bible]], Luke 4:23'''}}
{{quote|''"Physician, heal thyself!"''|'''[[The Bible]], Luke 4:23'''}}
{{quote|''"En casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo"''<ref>"In the blacksmith house the knife is made of wood"</ref>|Spanish saying}}


A character is very good at his profession. He is completely unable to use this ability to help his own family. This is seen most often with therapists.
A character is very good at his profession. He is completely unable to use this ability to help his own family. This is seen most often with therapists.
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* Doctor Bombei, the greatest Choujin physician in the ''[[Kinnikuman]]'' universe, succumbed to a malignant tumor because he spent so much time watching ''other'' Choujins' health he didn't pay attention to his own.
* Doctor Bombei, the greatest Choujin physician in the ''[[Kinnikuman]]'' universe, succumbed to a malignant tumor because he spent so much time watching ''other'' Choujins' health he didn't pay attention to his own.
* Used and subverted in ''[[Black Jack]]'', in the most literal manner. Twice, Black Jack himself is wounded. The second time, he has to have someone else operate on him, as even he cannot heal himself. The first time? He removed a parasite from his intestinal tract. Without anasthetic. In the middle of [[Down Under|the Outback]]. Surrounded by wild dingos.
* Used and subverted in ''[[Black Jack]]'', in the most literal manner. Twice, Black Jack himself is wounded. The second time, he has to have someone else operate on him, as even he cannot heal himself. The first time? He removed a parasite from his intestinal tract. Without anasthetic. In the middle of [[Down Under|the Outback]]. Surrounded by wild dingos.
* The history of Mr. Riddles in [[Zatch Bell]], in the original Japanese, involves him as a surgeon trying to save his grandson, but failing, sending him into a depression that is only lifted once Kido arrives.
* The history of Mr. Riddles in ''[[Zatch Bell]]'', in the original Japanese, involves him as a surgeon trying to save his grandson, but failing, sending him into a depression that is only lifted once Kido arrives.


== Comic Books ==
== Comic Books ==
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== Film ==
== Film ==


* Used in ''[[The Dark Knight Saga|Batman Begins]]'' where [[Dirty Cop|Detective Flass]] steals money from a street vendor. The man says he has kids to feed, and Flass merely responds, "What? They don't like falafels?" {{spoiler|Flass gets jumped and worked over by Batman five seconds later.}}
* Used in ''[[The Dark Knight Saga|Batman Begins]]'' where [[Dirty Cop|Detective Flass]] steals money from a street vendor. The man says he has kids to feed, and Flass merely responds, "What? They don't like falafels?" {{spoiler|Flass gets jumped and worked over by Batman five seconds later.}}
* The premise behind ''[[Dan in Real Life]]''.
* The premise behind ''[[Dan in Real Life]]''.
* The mother from the ''[[Freaky Friday]]'' remake also is a therapist, but the relation with her daughter isn't the best either.
* The mother from the ''[[Freaky Friday]]'' remake also is a therapist, but the relation with her daughter isn't the best either.
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* In Carolyn Mackler's ''The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things'', Virginia's mother is a supposed "expert" on teen psycholoogy. However, she has a tenuous relationship (at best) with her own teenage daughter, treating her like the [[Butt Monkey]] of the family simply because she doesn't share her parents' or her older siblings' interests or goals. She also frequently verbally berates Virginia for her weight, among other things. In a particularly shameful move for a psychologist, both parents try to block Columbia from prosecuting their son after he date-rapes another student.
* In Carolyn Mackler's ''The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things'', Virginia's mother is a supposed "expert" on teen psycholoogy. However, she has a tenuous relationship (at best) with her own teenage daughter, treating her like the [[Butt Monkey]] of the family simply because she doesn't share her parents' or her older siblings' interests or goals. She also frequently verbally berates Virginia for her weight, among other things. In a particularly shameful move for a psychologist, both parents try to block Columbia from prosecuting their son after he date-rapes another student.
* In one of [[James Herriot]]'s books, he describes how the kid singing their Drill Sergeant's bawdy song loudest and with the most enthusiasm turned out to be the son of an archbishop.
* In one of [[James Herriot]]'s books, he describes how the kid singing their Drill Sergeant's bawdy song loudest and with the most enthusiasm turned out to be the son of an archbishop.
* [[The Dresden Files]]' Molly Carpenter is an extremely sexually active young woman, with multiple piercings and a certain amount of emotional tumult, such that she spends a good portion of the first few books living away from home. Her dad is a devout Catholic, and Knight of the Cross, and takes orders from the archangel Michael. He is rather worried about the direction Molly is going in. {{spoiler|She turns out to be a witch.}}
* ''[[The Dresden Files]]''{{'}} Molly Carpenter is an extremely sexually active young woman, with multiple piercings and a certain amount of emotional tumult, such that she spends a good portion of the first few books living away from home. Her dad is a devout Catholic, and Knight of the Cross, and takes orders from the archangel Michael. He is rather worried about the direction Molly is going in. {{spoiler|She turns out to be a witch.}}
* Quoted in [[Stephen King]]'s [[Hearts in Atlantis]] by an adult Bobby Garfield. He is a carpenter, yet admits his own roof leaks in a good rain.
* Quoted in [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[Hearts in Atlantis]]'' by an adult Bobby Garfield. He is a carpenter, yet admits his own roof leaks in a good rain.
* Rachel of Tish Cohen's ''[[Inside Out Girl]]'' edits a parenting magazine, but when she tries to apply her advice to her own kids, it comes off as cheesy and fake.
* Rachel of Tish Cohen's ''[[Inside Out Girl]]'' edits a parenting magazine, but when she tries to apply her advice to her own kids, it comes off as cheesy and fake.


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* The overarching plot of the short-lived series ''Miss Match'' was that a woman who was both a matrimonial attorney and a professional matchmaker couldn't handle her own relationships well.
* The overarching plot of the short-lived series ''Miss Match'' was that a woman who was both a matrimonial attorney and a professional matchmaker couldn't handle her own relationships well.
* Adrian Monk's therapist, Dr. Kroger, on ''[[Monk]]'' has a terrible relationship with his son.
* Adrian Monk's therapist, Dr. Kroger, on ''[[Monk]]'' has a terrible relationship with his son.
** Similarly, Monk often does not understand things on going around him (like what a tie on a doorknob means), but when it comes to [[The Summation]], he's an expert.
** Similarly, Monk often does not understand thin-gs on going around him (like what a tie on a doorknob means), but when it comes to [[The Summation]], he's an expert.
** Closer to the gist of the trope, Monk solved many, many cases, but was frustrated that he couldn't figure out who killed his wife.
** Closer to the gist of the trope, Monk solved many, many cases, but was frustrated that he couldn't figure out who killed his wife.
*** The finale revealed that {{spoiler|Monk was unable to solve the murder due to a lack of evidence. And once he ''did'' solve the murder and get all the dangling threads of his life cleaned up, his OCD became less excruciating to bear.}}
*** The finale revealed that {{spoiler|Monk was unable to solve the murder due to a lack of evidence. And once he ''did'' solve the murder and get all the dangling threads of his life cleaned up, his OCD became less excruciating to bear.}}
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* There was an episode of ''[[What I Like About You]]'' in which Val was trying to get a client for her PR firm, a woman who had written a parenting book. Of course, inevitably, when Holly meets the woman's own teenage daughter, she has just bought a box of home pregnancy tests.
* There was an episode of ''[[What I Like About You]]'' in which Val was trying to get a client for her PR firm, a woman who had written a parenting book. Of course, inevitably, when Holly meets the woman's own teenage daughter, she has just bought a box of home pregnancy tests.
* On ''[[ER]]'' the treatment of Mark's father causes a temporary rift between himself and Elizabeth. Elizabeth does not think Mark should be treating his own father and Mark wants his father to live at home rather than go into a hospice. Mark's father doesn't want to stay either but has mixed feelings about palliative care anyway. In the end, Mark prevails and his father dies at home.
* On ''[[ER]]'' the treatment of Mark's father causes a temporary rift between himself and Elizabeth. Elizabeth does not think Mark should be treating his own father and Mark wants his father to live at home rather than go into a hospice. Mark's father doesn't want to stay either but has mixed feelings about palliative care anyway. In the end, Mark prevails and his father dies at home.
* Leonard's mother on ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' is a brilliant and world-renowned psychologist and parenting expert...who treats her son very, very badly. He confesses to Penny in one episode that he built a hugging machine when he was a child just so he could feel like somebody loved him.
* Leonard's mother on ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' is a brilliant and world-renowned psychologist and parenting expert... who treats her son very, very badly. He confesses to Penny in one episode that he built a hugging machine when he was a child just so he could feel like somebody loved him.
** It's not just Leonerd that suffers from this trope. Her other children also suffered from the lack of affection/birthday celebrations/Christmas celebrations etc. and whenever one of their accomplishments, personal or professional, is brought up she doesn't express any pride or joy because they aren't her accomplishments. Then there is her husband who borrowed the aforementioned hugging machine and was mentioned that the only times in the marriage that they had sex was to consummate it and for reproduction, granted that he has never actually appeared but his having an affair would indicate that this arrangement was largely her choice and then the likely lack of affection that plagued the rest of the family. It is all played for laughs but all evidence indicates that she was/is EXTREMELY emotionally abusive and/or neglectful to her entire family despite being a world-renowned psychologist and parenting expert.
** It's not just Leonerd that suffers from this trope. Her other children also suffered from the lack of affection/birthday celebrations/Christmas celebrations etc. and whenever one of their accomplishments, personal or professional, is brought up she doesn't express any pride or joy because they aren't ''her'' accomplishments. Then there is her husband who borrowed the aforementioned hugging machine and was mentioned that the only times in the marriage that they had sex was to consummate it and for reproduction, granted that he has never actually appeared but his having an affair would indicate that this arrangement was largely her choice and then the likely lack of affection that plagued the rest of the family. It is all played for laughs but all evidence indicates that she was/is '''extremely''' emotionally abusive and/or neglectful to her entire family despite being a world-renowned psychologist and parenting expert.




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* In ''[[Zits]]'', Jeremy Duncan's mother is a child therapist, but much of the strip's humor revolves around her inability to get her teenage son to communicate with her.
* In ''[[Zits]]'', Jeremy Duncan's mother is a child therapist, but much of the strip's humor revolves around her inability to get her teenage son to communicate with her.
* Discussed in [[Peanuts]] when Peppermint Patty and Marcie debate about how the judges for a skating contest can be qualified if they themselves can't skate.
* Discussed in ''[[Peanuts]]'' when Peppermint Patty and Marcie debate about how the judges for a skating contest can be qualified if they themselves can't skate.
{{quote|'''Marcie:''' The world is full of unmarried marriage counselors.}}
{{quote|'''Marcie:''' The world is full of unmarried marriage counselors.}}


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** It also happens in RPGs where you can tell a healer to automatically heal other characters. As a result the AI focuses on the others first and neglects their own health.
** It also happens in RPGs where you can tell a healer to automatically heal other characters. As a result the AI focuses on the others first and neglects their own health.
* In ''[[Fire Emblem]]'', healers (clerics, monk, sages, druids, bishops, etc.) couldn't use their staves to heal themselves. This was fixed in ''Radiant Dawn'', where units equipped with a healing Staff automatically recovers hitpoints each turn.
* In ''[[Fire Emblem]]'', healers (clerics, monk, sages, druids, bishops, etc.) couldn't use their staves to heal themselves. This was fixed in ''Radiant Dawn'', where units equipped with a healing Staff automatically recovers hitpoints each turn.
* In [[Persona 4]], Sayoko Uehara develops past her nurse side after {{spoiler|a former patient of hers dies}}. Unfortunately, she develops into a [[Workaholic]] instead. After she collapses, one of the options you can say to her is the page quote.
* In ''[[Persona 4]]'', Sayoko Uehara develops past her nurse side after {{spoiler|a former patient of hers dies}}. Unfortunately, she develops into a [[Workaholic]] instead. After she collapses, one of the options you can say to her is the page quote.
** In addition, the one case Detective Ryotaro Dojima is unable to solve is the identity of his wife's killer. He feels wracked about it as the incident totally broke his daughter.
** In addition, the one case Detective Ryotaro Dojima is unable to solve is the identity of his wife's killer. He feels wracked about it as the incident totally broke his daughter.
* Hugh Darrow from [[Deus Ex: Human Revolution|Deus Ex Human Revolution]], the man known as the "The Father of Tomorrow", inventor of modern human augmentation, author of countless books about transhumanism and one of the most powerful, influential and beloved people in the world... has to walk with crutches, as he of all people suffers of an extremely rare genetic condition that causes his body to violently reject augmentations. There is just something so ''tragic'' about seeing an old man forced to watch all of his dreams of a better humanity coming true and knowing that he would be the only one not to enjoy the paradise he has created.
* Hugh Darrow from ''[[Deus Ex: Human Revolution]]'', the man known as the "The Father of Tomorrow", inventor of modern human augmentation, author of countless books about transhumanism and one of the most powerful, influential and beloved people in the world... has to walk with crutches, as he of all people suffers of an extremely rare genetic condition that causes his body to violently reject augmentations. There is just something so ''tragic'' about seeing an old man forced to watch all of his dreams of a better humanity coming true and knowing that he would be the only one not to enjoy the paradise he has created.
** {{spoiler|It becomes less tragic, or at least less sympathetic, when he tries to kill off a good chunk of the world's augmented population out of jealousy.}}
** {{spoiler|It becomes less tragic, or at least less sympathetic, when he tries to kill off a good chunk of the world's augmented population out of jealousy.}}
* If {{spoiler|team shrink Kelly Chambers}} survives the events of the second ''[[Mass Effect]]'' game, {{spoiler|she shows the most trauma of the NPC crew. When she shows up in the third game, she's still too traumatized to consider returning to the Normandy. A therapist with crippling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.}}
* If {{spoiler|team shrink Kelly Chambers}} survives the events of the second ''[[Mass Effect]]'' game, {{spoiler|she shows the most trauma of the NPC crew. When she shows up in the third game, she's still too traumatized to consider returning to the Normandy. A therapist with crippling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.}}
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* In ''[[As Told by Ginger]]'', both of Macie's parents are therapists so naturally she has to make appointments to see them, they forget her birthday and don't even know how old she is.
* In ''[[As Told by Ginger]]'', both of Macie's parents are therapists so naturally she has to make appointments to see them, they forget her birthday and don't even know how old she is.
* Frankie, from ''[[Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends]]''; ironically, unlike her grandmother, she's never created an imaginary friend of her own, but that may be for the best, seeing as she has to take care of ''dozens'' of neglected and abandoned ones. Although, it is implied she may have adopted [https://fostershomeforimaginaryfriends.fandom.com/wiki/World World].
* Frankie, from ''[[Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends]]''; ironically, unlike her grandmother, she's never created an imaginary friend of her own, but that may be for the best, seeing as she has to take care of ''dozens'' of neglected and abandoned ones. Although, it is implied she may have adopted [https://fostershomeforimaginaryfriends.fandom.com/wiki/World World].
--

== Real Life ==
== Real Life ==


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* Madalyn Murray O'Hair was an infamous atheist activist, whose efforts resulted in the removal of compulsory Bible reading from the public schools of the United States. Her son converted to Christianity and became a preacher.
* Madalyn Murray O'Hair was an infamous atheist activist, whose efforts resulted in the removal of compulsory Bible reading from the public schools of the United States. Her son converted to Christianity and became a preacher.
* In the Australian code of ethics, mental health professionals are obliged to seek treatment for any psychological issues they have themselves, whether the issue be an actual disorder, a drug addiction, or just a very high stress level.
* In the Australian code of ethics, mental health professionals are obliged to seek treatment for any psychological issues they have themselves, whether the issue be an actual disorder, a drug addiction, or just a very high stress level.
* One aversion, [[Rachael Ray]] actually does enjoy cooking, and she frequently does cook for her husband, despite many assuming she'd suffer from burnout after all the cooking she does for work (she's been known to put in 100-hour workweeks.) Chefs and professional cooks might be one of the most typical aversions, since they will frequently test gourmet meals on friends and family before trying them out on the public.
* One aversion, [[Rachael Ray]] actually does enjoy cooking, and she frequently does cook for her husband, despite many assuming she'd suffer from burnout after all the cooking she does for work (she's been known to put in 100-hour workweeks.)
** Chefs and professional cooks might be one of the most typical aversions, since they will frequently test gourmet meals on friends and family before trying them out on the public.


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/The_Cobbler%27s_Children_Have_No_Shoes"