Why Parents Should Give Their Children Freedom

The article Overprotected Kids by Hanna Rosin was informative and eye opening on the fact that children nowadays are watched over much more than say when their parents were children. I completely agree, and not only did the article give many examples, it brought me back to my own experiences; when I was a young kid. It’s understandable why parents are protective over their kids when they obviously just watching out for them and their well being. But overshadowing your kids can affect them more than is realized. I believe this is not parents intention, but the fear of something happening to their child has caused them to become what is considered “overprotected”.

Children do not come with guidelines or instructions. What they do come with is a crucial set of physical and emotional needs that need to be met. To raise children properly, parents duties are not limited to just food, shelter and protection. Parents are largely responsible for their children’s success in life. Parents are required to teach and educate children. They have to shape knowledge and character into their children to prepare them to face the real world. To be successful with this, parents must provide self esteem needs, teach moral and values and provide discipline that is both effective and appropriate. As the generations have changed, many parenting styles have evolved, as well.

I just recently had the opportunity to read the magazine article from The Atlantic titled “The Overprotected Kid” by Hanna Rosin. This article constantly critiques and bashes society along with the parenting styles of today. I agree with Rosin that parents are too protective over their children because parents today are holding back their children and are preventing them from many experiences. Fortunately, my parents were not part of this trend, allowing me to explore and learn from my own experiences and mistakes. Playgrounds are becoming to a point that is almost too safe and children are taking less risks. Playgrounds and parents are not allowing kids to learn on their own and experience life while taking risks.

In the article “The Shortening Leash”, which publishes in slate.com, Jessica Grose and Hanna Rosin describe the children today have much less freedom in the childhood than their parents and the possible reason why this happens. According to board surveys for asking about what parents did in their childhood and what they allow their own kids to do now indicate that childhood criterions have changed violently over a generation.

Children become aware that their feelings and desires are essential and must be accounted for. Growing up in a supportive environment enables children to form open and trusting relationships with their parents. However, sometimes parents fail to meet emotional or physical needs of their children. Through the failure of meeting the child’s need, eventually, leads to a more dysfunctional relationship.

She’s thought of needing protection and comfort. Chrysanthemum’s parents came to her rescue when she was sad, her petal wilting. They tried to lift her spirits, they used love and affection, “hugs, kisses, and Parcheesi.”(Chrysanthemum) This followed the event of eating her favorite dinner and dessert. Chrysanthemum did not know how to cope with the bullying, she had no notion when it came down to problem solving. She was being bullied and it dragged her confidence down. When reading this book a few key concepts made the idea of what a “Sacred Child” is noticeable. The language and style of the “Chrysanthemum” had repeating patterns, “Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum,” was added to create emphasis on her special name. There was a repeat in word choice, “ she loved the way…” and the term, “she’s perfect, (absolutely)” from her parents. The repetition was to draw awareness to just how special and perfect Chrysanthemum is, to create

In “ The Case for Free-Range Parenting,” an article in The New York Times, Clemens Wergin discusses should children go out without parents or older people supervision. Wergin said parents don’t need to be with their children when they go out, and he thinks it can help child easier to fit in a new community. However, that is illegal in U.S, and most American children spent their free time at home. Today children have no freedom in their childhood because most parents are taking their children with them everywhere they go, but it is even danger then let their children roam freely. Also, give more freedom to children they will easier to control their anger and fear than the kids that have no freedom. At the end, Wergin thinks child desire freedom because they will have more confidence and know how to face risks.

In Chapter 3 of Kenneth A. Strike’s The Ethics of Teaching, Kenneth Strike mentions how parents protect their children from consequences that can cause harm. In The Ethics of Teaching, Kenneth Strike states “In the passage quoted, Mill notes that children need to be protected from the consequences of their own actions. Children presumably differ from adults in the degree to which they appreciate the consequences and the significance of their actions” (Strike, pg. 43). This statement means that children require protection from any harmful consequences due to their behavior. Most parents follow this aspect within the society. It is considered a norm in the society for parents to protect their child from harm any way that they can. Parents

Visually flowers are beautiful plants created by nature. Unless one is a gardener or a farmer, one may forget how much flowers undergo to maintain their beauty. Nor do people ponder on the life cycle of plants. It then takes a strong flower to withstand such environmental and physical change. But the support of its roots, photosynthesis, and possibly the help of a gardener or farmer allow the flower to sustain life. In Sapphire’s Push, Claireece “Precious” Jones was a sixteen-year- old mother and daughter who experienced numerous obstacles such as physical, sexual, mental, verbal, emotional, and socioeconomic abuse in the projects of Harlem, New York. Once Precious received the opportunity of attending an alternative school, her teacher, Blu

Children may need to be taken into care/fostered due to many reasons, such as child neglect or abuse, parental loss, imprisonment, hospitalization or bereavement. Occasionally, children may sometimes be taken into care due to their behavioural problems. Despite this, it is important to understand that young people may need to leave due to problems related to themselves, and not just their families. An example would be if a child had been diagnosed with an illness that the family are not able to take care of, the child may have to be hospitalized or cared for professionally. Or the child may present difficult behaviour

“We’ve called it Family Safety. We are calling it Family Safety rather than Parental Control because people don’t like that term. Both parent and definitely child don’t like the idea of controlling, blocking, or spying on them or others” (written by unknown). Most parents think to have control of your child is the way parenting works. Some of these parents find that their child rebels against their “very specific” instructions. Between parent and child, their will always be a aspect of control and rebellion but this is because it could feel like the parent doesn’t trust the kid, the kid disagrees with the judgement call, and it has been proven to happen through surveys. In Romeo and Juliet’s time, when parents tried to use authority to control

According to the article, The Authoritative Parenting Style: Warmth, Rationality, and High-Standards, “The authoritative parenting approach is linked with the most successful child outcomes.” One of the major focuses is finding a middle ground between too much freedom, and being too strict. It reflects a balance between two values, freedom and responsibility. The responsibility allows for the child to mature and organize their lives by doing tasks such as studying, getting good grades, just make to make good decisions overall. The freedom allows them to have a mind of their own; to hopefully apply making good decisions in life. It also gives them a chance to experience how the real world is. Authoritarian parenting would disagree with this tactic. There’s a belief that if a child is granted freedom, the child is being set up for failure. They do not see the point of freedom when keeping them to high-standards and strict rules will ensure that failure isn’t an option. While I can understand the point being made, it’s a bad parenting tactic. When a child doesn’t experience any bad, how are they supposed to function in the real world? They need freedom to be able to deal with disappointment or failure when they come across it when

It is important for parents to be their children's friend, but they need their parent first. Other parents don't have time for their child. They expect schools, day cares, and other institutions to raise their child. Parent’s time in children is irreplaceable. Still other parents find disciplining their child to be too much of trouble; Therefore, they allow their child to act anyway they want. Some may agree that “parenting is not a democracy but a dictatorship.” Finally, there are parents who constantly bail their child out of whatever problem they are in. Children need to know consequences for their actions. These parents are not helping their children by doing these things. Reality will one day slap their child in the face and they will

But as soon as children start feeling that their parents care too much, they try to get back at them and do just what their parents don't want them to do. On the other hand kids who face lack of freedom may end up turning into introverts afraid to speak to other people or not as social (which is not a bad thing though).

of us fail to cherish and value our granted freedom. Many of us do not