“Strict parents raise sneaky kids.” This is a common post on my Facebook feed and I’ll tell you it can cause you to second guess your parenting.
I believe that children need boundaries. Boundaries allow children to feel secure and protected. Boundaries (rules) are not created to stifle a child or to cage them.
‘Strict Parents Raise Sneaky Kids’ — Don’t Let Statements Like This Thwart Your Parenting
Some parents use rules in a dictatorship style in an effort to control their children. This is not parenting, this is controlling.
Other parents -like us- simply place boundaries so that a child knows where they are free to roam. These boundaries are intended to guide them along the right path until they are mature enough to make their own decisions.
Letting a toddler wander into the road is outrageous. We would all agree that is wrong. Giving a child unlimited internet access is absolutely just as dangerous. Yet, when we speak about that we are “invading their privacy” or “being control freaks.”
Fear of rebellion should never stop a parent from setting boundaries. I know rebellious children from families with lots of rules and from families with zero rules.
Relationships matter. Explaining to your child the dangers of the internet and discussing how to navigate the world we live in is imperative! Do not neglect the discussions.
I don’t want you to be afraid to set boundaries because people say silly things like “strict parents raise sneaky kids.”
Develop a relationship with your child where they know you love them- no matter what- but that you will always set boundaries.
“Strict parents create sneaky children.”