Nowadays, children run around doing whatever they want, going wherever they want, at whatever time they want. Growing up, my parents were very strict in basically every aspect of my life such as school, relationships, behavior and more. So, basically anything you can think of — they had it under control. Although when I was younger I did not understand why my parents were being “so controlling” and “ruining my life,” I look back now, as an adult, and understand that they had the right intentions and wanted me to have the right values.

Now that I have gained a new perspective on this style of parenting, it makes me grateful for all those times my parents told me “no,” because in the end it made me into the person I am today: a family person. Sundays were (and still is) our “family day,” in which no outside friends could come to my house because my parents believed that Sunday was a day to relax and spend time with family. Yes, there were those times that I went kicking and screaming to a family event when I had a pending invite to hang out with my friends, but those moments and memories made are the ones that I will tell my kids and even my grandkids someday.

Going through high school with strict parents was a little tough, although, because I would’ve never even thought to ask my parents to go to a party, especially when there were bound to be drinking/games going on. There was even a time I got uninvited to a party because my mom had to pick me up instead of me spending the night there with the other guys and girls. Looking back, I am grateful for experiences like those because it made me realize that I didn’t need to be in scenes like that at such a young age, and there was going to be a time in my life when I reached the appropriate age to do such things. It also made me find myself as a person and taught me to how to choose my friends wisely, to where our moral and values aligned in a compatible way.

Without strict parenting, kids would be running free, doing whatever they wanted and not have a reality check of how life really is. There are rules of society that we have to abide by in order to successfully navigate through life. Parents with rules and expectations set children up for the “real world” and let them know that not everything is going to go their way. Teaching morals and family values is also an important key when going to start your own family, one day, as well. I always see people complaining about their strict parents but trust me, it’ll help you in the long run. Don’t constantly fight the reprimanding and restrictions because it will just create a divide in your family, between parent and kid. All parents want only the best for their kids, and setting up a foundation for a stable family is done through discipline. I am beyond grateful for my parents being strict with me throughout my childhood because it has taught me so many life lessons, and I definitely plan on using their techniques when I have my own kids in the future.