my parents were strict. We couldn't watch R rated movies until we were 17 for example. We were not punished often as just the fact we disappointed our parents, especially our mom, when we disobeyed was often punishment enough.
However, the older we got, the more freedoms we got. In high school on weekends, we could stay out late and weren't grilled about where we were or what we did. We had to have permission to have friends over.
We had chores: mowing the lawn, raking leaves, doing dishes, washing cars, etc.
In Better things, what chores do the girls have? What consequences are there for trashing the house while mom is way, for example? What's the curfew? Who can come over and when?
Children need to know there are rules and boundaries, and that they are not in charge of a household. They need to be taught respect for their parents and others and given responsibilities so they become responsible adults.
"Insults are the arguments employed by those who are in the wrong." J.J. Rousseau
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Wood-20
8 years ago
Yes, I get it, you are proud of your family, and judge others based on that.
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otter68
8 years ago
I know several teachers. They tell me you can tell whose parents set boundaries and give responsibilities and whose don't just by how the child behaves and tries in school.
Bad parenting just doesn't effect a family; it effects society.
"Insults are the arguments employed by those who are in the wrong." J.J. Rousseau
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Mehki_Girl
8 years ago
Not necessarily true. Our mom divorced our dad when we were kids and she was pretty lenient, hence my parenting was similar. Wasn't strict. We were well-behaved, polite well spoken kids who didn't do drugs or give her a bit of grief. I got nothing my compliments on my son's behavior. We are all productive adults.
I never, ever went through any teenage angst or talked back or hated or was embarrassed by my mom. I loved her and liked be around her. I don't particularly understand or like teenage girls. Teenage boys are a-ok with me. I dislike teen girls even more when they are around their mothers. As a matter of fact most kids are awful when their parents are around and are totally different people when they aren't. Give me a kid alone and I'm fine. Bring in the parents and I can't stand that whiny manipulating brat. LOL most of us never see that perfect kid that others compliment us on.
Every household is different and there is no way to predict with surety. Of course, I'm not advocating either lenient parenting nor a free for all. I watch a lot of crime shows and invariable the serial killer sociopath came from a strict devout Christian household or a dysfunctional one where no amount of parenting was going on.
With us and my extended family of cousins, the correct behavior and what was expected was simply modeled. We behaved the way the adults around us behaved and expected us to.
http://www.auplod.com/u/dalpuo430da.png
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babz12
8 years ago
You just described my life growing up. Except I was grounded all the time for things like swearing or calling one of my siblings a "dummy" or something like that.
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