Teenage years are sensitive and vulnerable for impressionable minds. Nonetheless, I've seen many parents impose harsh rules on their adolescent children.
Here are some outrageous examples:
1. Not allowing teenagers to hang out with their friends because they believe all of their friends are frivolous.
I'd be a millionaire if I had a nickel for every time a parent assumed that all of their teen's friends were frivolous. Parents must stop assuming that all teenagers hang out with bad people.
2. Limiting their clothing options.
Teenage years are a time when people want to experiment with their fashion choices, and discouraging teens from doing so is simply wrong. Just because children appear to prefer a different style of dressing does not imply that they are bad.
3. Dismissing teenagers who wish to pursue alternative careers later in life
With newer trends and technologies emerging on a regular basis, parents should be aware of upcoming careers and not force their children to work traditional 9-5 jobs.
Suppressing and judging the sexuality of growing teenagers
Hormones and sexuality peak during adolescence. To prevent your children from expressing their sexual orientation is therefore immoral. As parents, we must be prepared to open all secure channels of communication with our children.
5. Making teenagers study all of the time and do nothing else
Studying is important, but forcing your children to study all the time is not. Allow them to pursue whatever hobby or interest they desire. Parents limit their children's productivity by burdening them.
Limiting teen participation in sports
As strange as it may sound, most parents prohibit their teenagers from participating in sports, thereby impeding their development as individuals in a variety of ways.
7. Pressuring teenagers to turn off their devices because their parents believe they are wasting their time.
The internet is not a bad place to be. It's alive with possibilities. As a result, assuming that teens only use their phones for unethical and immoral purposes is incorrect. Allow them to investigate and distinguish between right and wrong.
8. Putting a lot of pressure on teenagers to get good grades
Every parent, rightfully so, wants to see their teen shine. But constantly pushing teens to get good grades and comparing them is one of the worst things parents can do.