A Mind of Their Own

2 Pages 533 Words

As children grow up they should learn to make their own decisions independent of their parents. Children that grow up and don't know how to make their own decisions will have problems when they are on their own. Children who grow up making their own decisions within reason grown up taking initiative and making it further than the children who do do.
Some parents bribe their children into making the decision that they want them to make. I can recall someone telling me about a girl that wanted to go to an out of state college. She was so serious she went as far as looking for an apartment. When she finally told her parents they quickly told her that it wasn't a good idea and ordered her to stay. She was determined to get out on her own so her parents bribed her with a new car. She would get this new car under the condition that she stayed. This girl decided to stay and get the new car. If she would have gone off to college she could have met new people and learned what life is going to be like away from home. Instead she let her parents decide for her.
Some parents can manipulate their kids by not giving them an allowance unless they get their chores done. Even though this is sometimes a good lesson it can make a child always expect material rewards for hard work. For instance, I was watching my little brother and he was being a good. I told him this for positive reinforcement and he asked what he was going to get for being good. I replied by patting him on the head. I thought this was funny but my little brother didn't think the same. I explained to him that he wouldn't always get a piece of candy or a quarter in life for being good or accomplishing something. I told him that not having a reward that he can hold in his hand shouldn't stop him from trying. The feeling of accomplishment is a reward.
There are ways that parents can let their children make their own decisions with out influencing them. For example,...