It can be miserable, but it might be worth it

Growing up as a kid, you would watch shows on Disney Channel, Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon and see kids on the block playing outside past 6 p.m., or teens going to the mall on their own. In reality, some kids had that advantage, while others didn’t. For those who did, it was great and nothing serious; a typical day. For those who never had that chance, it was like a dream waiting to come true. Living in a strict household could be constraining, but was it all worth it?

Strict parents like to believe that raising their child in a firm manner will result in nothing but success and respect. Is this necessarily true? There have been some circumstances where teens rebel against strict parents, go out into the streets and experience life in his or her own way.

This desire to know more is what attracts kids, pushes them to run out and rebel. Although the unknown may seem pleasant, it may not always be great. Drugs and sex are heavy-duty topics strict parents either avoid or ban from conversation in their entirety.

Now, imagine a scenario where a curious teen discovers these two things with little to no knowledge; the end result can be detrimental. Maybe it is time for strict parents to loosen up their strings and be more personal with their children. Or is there some truth and success to living under such stern conditions?

Of course, not all kids rebel. Personally, most of my friends and I have lived with strict family members, and to be honest, I think we came out all right. Yes, there were some limitations – we  couldn’t go to the mall by ourselves without an adult, no sleeping over at friends’ houses, we couldn’t borrow our  friends’ things. We would cry and ask why, and our parents’ response was: “It’s not safe. Did you not see what happened to this child on the news?”

Being Haitian, my family strongly believed in dreams becoming a reality, so another response they would provide was, “I saw something happen to you in my dream. You’re going nowhere.” I felt like I was missing out on fun and life. However, since I couldn’t do these things, I focused on school, probably did some extracurricular activities or remained in the library filling my mind with knowledge. My life, as we say in my culture consisted only of, “lakay, lekol, leglise” which means, “home, school, and church.” That’s it. As odd as it sounds, I am grateful for having such a childhood. It made me the person I am today: respectful, strong, knowledgeable and determined.

The question that I pose now is this: is living in a strict household really worth it? The answer is up to you. Personally, I think it was worth it, but I believe a mix of strict and personal parental relationship works best. In a strict house, there’s lots about the world that one may never know until his or her first day of college. In a less strict house, there is a lot of freedom that can sometimes lead one to the wrong path or bad habits and manners. Each situation contains flaws, while having benefits as well, so why not just mix them together and create a perfect recipe?

Fellow young adults, let’s do things better. Soon enough, we will be parents. Do you want to see your child happy and successful in all aspects or miserable living with no ambition? The choice is yours.