It’s really a great thing when our kids get older, I mean like 14-18, they have a sense of independence and are quite self sufficient. They start driving at 17 years old and can now get themselves where they want to go, they can hold down a part time job, and can be trusted to baby sit their younger siblings. As a parent we have to be cautious though because they still need supervision. Teenagers haven’t lived long enough to realize the dangers of certain activities and they lack a character quality that may only develop over a period of many years, and that’s self-control. To be quite honest there are some adults who don’t posses this quality and experience difficulty in this area their whole life. A person just has to look around in society to discover the number of marriages that have been wrecked by affairs or alcoholism.
Teenagers left to themselves without the proper guidance, supervision, and instruction from a parent will develop the urge to experience the whole sex, drugs, and rock and roll scene and will have to taste the garbage to find out that they don’t like it. Parents want to trust their children and believe that when they tell their son or daughter not to have parties in the house when I’m not there, that their son or daughter will abide by their wishes. I hate to be a pessimist, but most times the desire is too strong, for the teenager to resist, and the partying begins as soon as the parent pulls out of the driveway.
Just like teenagers still need our advice and guidance, they still need our supervision. Society believes that smart people learn from their mistakes. I believe that smart people learn from someone else’s mistakes. Take it from me teenagers can’t control themselves and need parental supervision. We like to believe that they are all grown up at 17, that’s when they need our presence the most.
