There is a trend in society today where more and more parents and teachers
are blocked from exerting effective discipline.1
It is a terrible state of affairs if the parent, especially the father,
doesn't take his place as the authority figure.2
If the father doesn't own that position, then both he and the child suffer
greatly -- the father because he is not fulfilling his duty, and the child
because his or her life has no direction. If the parent doesn't take charge,
then the children do.3
The family becomes upside-down with the children controlling the family
environment with their emotional states and the parents catering
to them.
Too many
parents and teachers are "trying" to be friends with their children and
"trying" to reason with them.4
Children see this and know they are dealing with someone who can be played
for a fool.5
Being friends is secondary in the parental
role; the parent should first be an authority for their children.6
Being an authority means that they are looking out for the best interest
of the child. The parent shouldn't have to say, "Johnny, it's time to go
to bed, O.K.?" He should be able to say, "It's time for bed Johnny." The
number one reason most kids resent their parents
when they grow older is because they didn't receive proper discipline when
they were young.7
I've noticed
in many homes that parents perform for children,
trying to be nice to them and answering all their tedious
questions, while inside they are like bombs
ready to go off.8
When they do try disciplining the child they have no patience and become
hostile.
Children need
to see that the parents are sharp enough not to fall for their manipulations,
that mom and dad can be patient and are looking out for what they need
rather than what they want.9
If parents do this on a consistent basis,
usually after some initial resistance,
their children come back loving and respecting them all the more.10
By doing this, parents can have a great relationship with their children
all their lives. It is not necessarily natural for children to rebel
when they become adolescents; it just means
the parents never established a rapport with
them as they were growing up.
After
reading discussion
1) Is it important
in your opinion for there to be a healthy parent-child relationship?
Why or why not?
2) Can a parent be both a parent and a friend to a child? Why
or why not?
