If our parents didn't have the right to control our decisions than the age limit of when we could become adults ourselves would be lowered or we just wouldn't have parents at all now would we?

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I thought you like being told how to live.

yes, I like being told how to live..... for a good cause, not something that can lead me to dangerous situations or something.

Do our parents have the right to control us? No, in fact I believe they have the responsibility not to. They should influence our decisions, but under no circumstances should they make them.

For example: I am not studying for a particularly difficult but particularly boring exam at school. My mother decides that she will force me to study. Do I pass the test? Yes, probably. Do I learn anything? Not really. What will happen to me then when my mother is not around to tell me what to do? What will happen when I go to college? Will I pass my classes then, without Mom around? I doubt it.

How about illegal activity? I have a few friends that drink and drive. That's not too surprising. What may be surprising to you is that they all started doing it after graduating high school. In my opinion, this is because they were controlled by their parents in their high school years. When they left home, they had no idea how to make intelligent decisions, since their parents had always decided everything for them.

It's a common misconception that most teens ages 14-18 are too immature to make their own decisions. I know 40-year-olds who are far too immature to drive a car, or participate in a social situation with peers. I also know 16-year-olds who are the brightest, most amicable people in the world, capable of living on their own, by their own means. Maybe they are so competent because their parents have given them the opportunity to make choices for themselves.

The bottom line is our parents very well might know what is best for us. After all, they have experienced more than we have in our short lives. However, if our parents attempt to use this knowledge by having absolute authority over our lives, they are crippling us. I am grateful every day that my own parents leave my decisions to me. God knows I've made some awful choices, but I've learned from them. When I am an adult, and I'm on my own, I will be better equipped to make choices because of those learning experiences.

softball i am definitally with you on that one they cant be making us practis a religion we dont belive in they have to let us make that choice for ourselves

Parents think they know whats best for us but the dont the truth is the only one that knows whats best for us is our selves and wether we make a bad decision or a good one its ours praents shouldnt have the opinion on the matter we have the right to make our own decions not our parents tell us to stay in shool after we are sixteen when we have the right to make up our own minds because the law tates that once we are sixteen we can leave school they dicktate to us when to study what we study what friends we should hang out with they dont see us telling them what to do because we know we would be told it has nothing to do with us but they dont see that is exacally what they are doing to us and then when teens rebell parents are saying they dont know where they went wrong when we rebell its trying to get trough to our parents that we rae not standing for then trying to control every thing we do any more

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Originally posted by jamaica17:
i have to say yes... but not to the point that they will dictate EVERYTHING in your life...

I thought you like being told how to live.

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Yes, parents are in charge of their children. If their rules are like:

1. Don't do drugs.
2. Don't drink alcohol.
3. Tell me where you're going, who you'll be with, what you'll be doing, and when you think you should be home.
4. Latest curfew on weekends is 1:00am

Those rules are pretty cool. That just means they're parents who want to take care of you.

Yes, that is TRUE....

And yes, they have the right to their own say in everything because they are OUR parents. They are the ones who put a roof over our heads, gave us food, made us go to school... The best thing we can do is to understand them as much as possible and also to obey their rules.... Children can have their say too, but make sure you listen to them first before saying anything because they are older and they sure do deserve some respect. Besides, if we become parents ourselves in the future, dont you think we ought to be respected with whatever we say too?

I don't think that parents should have any say whatsoever when it comes to religion. I'm lucky because I live with my mom, and even though my dad always forced fundamentalist Christianity on me and my grandfather pressures me to become Catholic, my mom never tried to make me religious. I'm a little surprised that she freaked when I told her I'm an athiest and she got all "Oh, where did I go wrong, I should have taken you to church, do you want more religion in your life?" but she's cool with it now.

Really when it comes to religon parents can make you go to church but all religons in some unwritten way requires all of us to find it for out selves not our parents religon even if we follow the same belif system you need yo make it your religon not theirs

on character traits no one but you can really change that though your parents can make alot of noise about it adultnoise not youthnoise

Parents have every right to do what they think is best for you and inform you of the things they believe until you are actually able to think for yourself and make your own educated decisions. They may not always agree with what you may choose but they are parents and should support your decisions.They are just telling you the things that they believe to be right or wrong and wish that from that advice you would do what is best for you.

I don't believe that they do. I think that it is alright to set curfews and whatnot, but I don't believe parents should control you. Then again, my mom is a total hippy, and she is awesome. The more that parents push the more rebellious the kids are going to get! My step- mother is like that, but luckily I only have to see her in the summer . My mom works with a woman who made her child start gymnastics. I mean, forced her; and said child has MS. Can you beleive that?

if you are actually 17, as your name *ladytalksalot17* implies, in less than one year you will be 18 and you can go appear on girls gone wild and **** your father off to no end.

Not at all! My parents let me believe what i want. As of now, i believe there is a god, but not any choosen religion. I mean, I thnk parents should inform there kids about different religions...but not force them to believe in any given one...any one with me on that?

No, I feel they don't and pretty soon they won't have the power...one day...you'll turn 18 then you'll be 20 and the next thing you know your 35 with your own kids and family to dicate. Oh well, its just the terrible circle of parents wanting their kids to be "mini me's." Hate to break it to ya honey, but you have been brainwashed since the day your were born and when u have kids, your probably try to brain wash them to believe and feel the same way about alot of things as you. It is just human nature...hey...thats just LIFE!

No. A parent-child relationship where it is nothing but the parent dictating what the child is to do is almost abuse. I have a friend who's father won't even let her take a shower everyday because he thinks it's unnecessary! It's getting to be ridiculous.

Yes, parents are in charge of their children. If their rules are like:

1. Don't do drugs.
2. Don't drink alcohol.
3. Tell me where you're going, who you'll be with, what you'll be doing, and when you think you should be home.
4. Latest curfew on weekends is 1:00am

Those rules are pretty cool. That just means they're parents who want to take care of you. But rules like not taking showers is crazy.

As for decisions...being a teenager means learning to make decisions on your own. As far as life decisions (where I want to go to college, where I want to get a job, etc.) my parents have very little control. I talk to them about what I want to do and they say whether or not it's a good idea. The cool thing about parents (at least mine) is that they're usually right about what's a good idea and what isn't. And the cool thing about my relationship with them is that what I think is a good decision, they usually agree.

So parents should have some say, decisions that kids want to make should be discussed, but they shouldn't dictate to their kids on what they have to do.

i have to say yes... but not to the point that they will dictate EVERYTHING in your life... But of course, parents have every right because they are the ones who raised us, provide us with food, clothing and shelter and everything else... i think we owe them a lot... thats what my dad always says.. that we should always be grateful to them coz we may never know.. time is too short and they may be gone and maybe we havent thanked them yet.

they can't control every dicision of yours.

i don't think our parents can control us no matter how hard they try because they are just scared that we are growing up to fast!!!! well at least my dad is.

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If you are intelligent, nothing except reason will sway your decisions and personal beliefs, which will ultimately shape your character in its entirety.

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I agree that this is the truth, but only after a certain level of maturity that comes with age has been reached. A 5-year old is going to believe whatever the hell you tell them if you use the right tactics (fear, candy, ...fear.)

Your parents have lawful power over you until you turn 18, unless you get emancipated prior to turning 18.

Also, your parents cannot tell you what to believe. If you are intelligent, nothing except reason will sway your decisions and personal beliefs, which will ultimately shape your character in its entirety.