Let the talks begin… with proven responsibility comes appropriate freedoms
This evening we had, yet another one of those sit down talks that I knew was coming, but dreaded so.
At fifteen, I believe hanging out with friends away from home one night a week and having company visit one night a week is plenty. I believe a strict curfew of 10:00 PM is plenty late enough.
The kids argued that times have changed and they should hang out more because their friends get to do more.
It’s my belief that IF a kid wants to have certain freedoms they should be able to prove responsibility at home.
Little things like…
- Not having to remind them to take a shower
- Not having to remind them to brush their teeth
- Not having to remind them to take care of their animals
- Not having them sneak around to break rules like lights out, phones off and computers shut down.
When I tell the kids to do a chore of some sort and hours pass and they’ve not done what they’re supposed to do or they make silly mistakes that have the potential to be dangerous – that tells me they are not responsible enough to earn freedoms of more then one day a week away from home.
At the moment, I have one kid hating me royally – but doesn’t that just mean that I’m doing my job and doing it well?
i would say that your job as a mom is to teach your kids to be responsible, and give them consequences when they aren’t. So, i’d say you’re doing wonderfully!
Remember, your job is NOT for them to like you. They’ve got their whole lives to like you, once they’ve grown up a little and realized all you’ve done for them by not giving them everything all the time.
Now is the time for them to develop good discipline and have good habits instilled in them, by force if you have to!
I would say that you are doing your job & this is coming from a 20 year old (new mom & all), who didn’t like all the rules her parents had but now appreciates them. Just thought you should know that even though I fought (and possibly “hated”) my parents, I now am thankful for their rules.