Growing up, I never had a formal grounding or had a strict curfew - some people reading this may assume this means my parents didn’t care enough to discipline me, but the reality is the exact opposite.
I have luckily grown up in an extremely loving, supportive family. My parents, especially during high school, seemed more lenient in comparison to my peers’ parents. However, I noticed that the more restricted a child was, the more likely they were to break the rules and get into fights with their parents.
Sure, my parents and I have had our fair share of arguments, but it’s usually over within an hour or two. Teenagers are growing up and want their freedom, and parents have to understand that the more they push their kids, the farther they try to distance themselves.
My parents allowed me freedom, not because they did not care, but because they trusted me to make good decisions.
Did I always obey and choose to do the best thing? Absolutely not (and they can confirm that), but learning to handle and admit to your own mistakes is a stepping stone to maturity.
If my parents had been super controlling, I don’t think I would have learned how to properly handle myself and make my own decisions. Being allowed a good amount of freedom also made me realize how I’m not grown up in the slightest. It’s easy to want to grow up too fast, but as I get older, I realize how much I depend on my parents and all that they do for me.
Being able to have a say in what I wanted to do allowed me to form a bond based on love, trust, and communication with my parents. My parents respected me enough to listen to me, and I cannot be thankful enough for that.