Hm. I suppose that what I meant was that the book is less creepy if it is being descriptive, not prescriptive. If the message of the book is "parents are often self-abnegating in service of their children, and this comes out of love and is real and intended, even though it isn't necessarily good for the parent and the child doesn't really understand what the parent has done." And as a descriptive work, yes, of course it is the mother, not the father, because, unfortunately, it our culture it has historically been the mothers who are extolled for being self-sacrificing.

I do, however, agree that if Silverstein's message is, this is great and should be kept up, the book is, well, maybe dangerous is the right word? If Silverstein's message is, this is the way it is in our culture, then the book remains creepy, and is simplistic to the point of being problematic, but I don't think in that case it's evil.