Freedom For Teenagers By Pot And Poe

(My mom got after my life to write an article because well she's under the illusion that I can still write and am just lazy. So Poe gave me the idea of using this article very pointedly to make a point I've been trying to make with my parents,quite unsuccessfully. I gave up between and she completed it and made it waaay cooler)

‘Definitely more than I have right now’, The Teenager would grumble, after reading this heading. The Parent would purse their lips and say ‘I know how much is appropriate for my child, thank you very much. He/she doesn’t know what’s good for him/her’. Really though, how much is the right amount? In this writer’s opinion, it falls somewhere between the two aforementioned points of view.
A kid might say being allowed as much freedom as they want, would work. This way, there is no angst on the teenager’s part and no unnecessary grief/guilt/putting up with tantrums on the parents’. This is, clearly, sheer stupidity. Teenagers are still children, no matter how much they might protest otherwise. Their brains are in the process of rewiring during adolescence, and it’s only natural for a parent to be overprotective and try and shield them from any hurt and/or damage as much as possible.
However, as this is an article written from a teenager’s point of view, the writer would like to apologise in advance for any offensive material that follows.

Some parents misjudge the amount of freedom their kids deserve, and allow too much of the wrong kind of freedom or offer it too early. Others cling on too tightly, not allowing their teenagers to learn to handle responsibility or to make their own mistakes and deal with the consequences.
Research(yes, really) shows that giving your child freedom in their final year of school by lifting most rules and curfews actually works out better in the long run and helps them develop into more responsible adults than otherwise when they embark on life alone.

If your child had exhibited good judgement and a sense of responsibility, it might be time to let him/her taste true independence.
(Not that that’s a hint, or anything.)
Parents must remember that while it may be difficult to watch your child make a decision you don’t agree with, it’s important to resist the temptation to take control and instead discuss their decisions and offer your experiences as advice. Let the kid make mistakes and learn from them while you’re there to support them through the consequences, because once they leave home these lessons will help them where parents physically -or otherwise- can’t.
Most parents make these common mistakes:
1) Not offering solid reasoning: Teenagers are prone to rebellion. If you don’t offer reasoning good enough to convince them of whatever it is you’re trying to get across to them, you might end up losing their respect for your authority. Your kid is no idiot (and it’d be insulting to think otherwise, really.) If you have a point, make it. Be clear in what you want from them and offer reasonable choices. For instance, if you want your child to do her chores, allow her the choice to do them before going out to play or after.

2) Controlling instead of guiding: There is a fine line between the two. Learn to strike a good balance between too little and too much freedom. Give your teenager the space to explore their various choices and face the repercussions for whatever decisions they make. If you think they’re making a bad choice, or decision, as a parent, it would work out better for both parties if you try to offer your guidance as someone who has more experience and thereby knows better.
On the other hand, you can and should exercise your authority as a parent and veto decisions that jeopardize your kid’s health and security, or choices that cut off future opportunities.

3) Being too forgiving or too harsh: Teenagers tend to lose respect for their parents if they do not make them face consequences for their mistakes. But the punishment must fit the crime and, be effective. Don’t easily let go of the big mistakes and errors they might make, but don’t come down too hard on them for not doing well on one test, or being on the phone too long on a particular day. Also, prolonging punishment is also ineffective.
That said teenagers, too, make a lot of mistakes when it comes to freedom. Abusing the trust that their parents have in them, pushing for more freedom, and being ungrateful for what they already have (as little as it may be) are some of the things most teenagers do on a daily basis (not so much the first thing, but the other two, totally.)
The point here, however, is not to blame anyone, or point out anyone’s mistakes. It’s only natural for a teenager to desire complete and total freedom. After all, it’s that age. Parents, you’ve all been there! Wasn’t there a time when all you wanted was to leave home and live on your own terms? The whole idea of creating a balance of freedom is to prevent teens from treating home like a cage and going too wild when given even the tiniest taste of independence. And after all, we are YOUR kids. Have just the littlest bit of faith in us. We know what’s right, and what’s wrong, and that’s only because of YOU.