I listen to a radio station that has mostly talk in the morning and takes a lot of phone calls. This week they have been taking calls from teenagers about parties they go to. Apparently at these parties the kids (junior high and older) do sexual things going almost all the way in the presence of their friends. If they want to go all the way, they go into a private place. The main guy on the show was appalled that this was happening. He has a child that is 4 years old. He kept saying that he thought this was not a prevalent thing, but the show has gotten quite a few calls and e-mails saying that they go to these parties all the time.
Most parents would say, "Not my kid." I think that's what my parents thought about my brothers and me. I never would have gone to a party like that, but I wasn't a perfect angel. So the question arises, how do you raise your children so that they do not do things like going to these parties? If you are totally strict, eventually they will go wild. If you are not involved you run the risk of them running wild. Do you make sure they always party at your house?
It scares me to think that I have a child and it is my job to raise him to be an adult. What if I screw it all up? What if I miss all the signs that he is out drinking, doing drugs and having sex? Does that mean I'm a bad parent? What if I raise him the best way I know how and he still turns from me?
How do you raise kids to make the right choice when you are not there to tell them what to do?
Most parents would say, "Not my kid." I think that's what my parents thought about my brothers and me. I never would have gone to a party like that, but I wasn't a perfect angel. So the question arises, how do you raise your children so that they do not do things like going to these parties? If you are totally strict, eventually they will go wild. If you are not involved you run the risk of them running wild. Do you make sure they always party at your house?
It scares me to think that I have a child and it is my job to raise him to be an adult. What if I screw it all up? What if I miss all the signs that he is out drinking, doing drugs and having sex? Does that mean I'm a bad parent? What if I raise him the best way I know how and he still turns from me?
How do you raise kids to make the right choice when you are not there to tell them what to do?