As parents we love our children and want to give them everything possible, even the impossible. So when our children cry because they really want that fiction figure toy that every other child has you really want to buy it to satisfy your child.
We try to say no and tell our children we do not have the money to buy that toy or to buy sweets everyday but they have no understanding what that means. How could they, they have never worked and have yet not felt the responsibilities life has in store for them.
For many teenagers the responsibilities and limits come as a chock and with that the feeling that life is too difficult and only bring problems. Teenage life would be so much easier for many had their parents guided them with limits. A child can grow without feeling limited when actually living in a limited world. By learning that responsibilities are a part of life and all problems can be solved your child can more easily appreciate what life has in store when the teenage freedom age kicks in.
Show your child you love him with limits
Invest a little time when your child is still small and you will be rewarded in double when he is older. If you give in to the sweet demands and crying each time, how will your child learn that he cannot always eat sweets? Pleasing your child with sweets is not the right way to teach him that money doesn’t grow on trees.
No- you are not a bad parent
With the no saying comes the guilt for many parents. If you regularly say no and have standard invisible rules to your no saying you can actually feel good about yourself.  The one thing you should not do is say yes because your child cries and begs. Saying no is sometimes the best thing you can do for your child.
Limited children are happy children
A child who learns how to be creative within limits will have a less difficult life as an adult. Instead he can feel good about himself not having to scratch his head and feel frustrated when something doesn’t turn out the way he wanted.
By setting clear limits not only do you do yourself a favor but also your child.  Your child will grow up knowing that he is loved and that limits are a part of everyday life.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 3rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm and is filed under parenting teens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.