Why Teens Need a Strict Parent

Being strict is easy when it’s other people’s kids. We hear a kid whining in the toy aisle and the mom caves, handing him the toy. You listen to the neighbors complain about their daughter’s defiance of their rules. The nightly news shows the faces of teens who committed a crime and now have a record to follow them. “Well, their parents should have been more strict! Strict parents wouldn’t have allowed that. You have to teach and control your children!” Instinctively, we all know that being a strict parent should result in a child who is successful and well-adjusted. In practice, though, it is much more difficult. Being a strict or “mean” parent is not only difficult, but it often goes against our natural instincts to love, protect, and soothe our child. A good parent wants their child to be happy, but to be a great parent one has to recognize that sometimes long term happiness means short term unhappiness. The Danger in Being “Cool” As a father, I can tell you there are few things greater than the look your child gives you when you do something “cool” or come to their aid. As your children grow older they see you less as Superman and more as their warden, so those moments are few and far between. It’s easy to grow addicted to these opportunities, and to pursue them. Some parents try to learn hip lingo and plug into cool, new music. Some parents give their children everything they want, including total freedom. Some parents sweep in to save their chi...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Children and Teens Family Parenting Personal Relationships Students Success & Achievement Technology Accountability Adolescence authoritative parenting Behavior Modification Consequences Developmental psychology Parenting Style Source Type: blogs