What Rules........What Curfews? | Teen Ink

What Rules........What Curfews?

October 29, 2008
By Anonymous

Parents give too many rules nowadays, but without rules, teenagers have no guidance. Teens no longer believe in rules and curfews. They believe that now, since they are older, they are more mature and can be more responsible, but truly most teens abuse this privilege and disobey their parents.



Many of my friends don’t have curfews, but they don’t dare abuse this freedom. Other teenagers will stay out late. Their parents call, but they refuse to answer their calls. These kids are irresponsible; they believe it’s cool to disobey their parents. I’m 16 years old, a current student. I also have rules and curfews that I have to abide by, but I don’t complain because I believe my parents make wise decisions.



Parents’ first priority is to always protect and nurture their kids. They give rules and curfews to protect you; they want to know where you are and when you will be home. They want you to be safe. They want to raise you and see you grow up as a successful adult; you, until then, are the parents’ responsibility.



Every kid now has a different role model. A parent’s job is like your role model’s job. We look up to and respect our role models for what he/she does, and we want to grow up to be just like them. Why can’t we look up to your parents as role models? They are truly the real heroes here. They guide and watch over us, feed and nurture us until we can be where we want to be, but we can’t be where you want to be later until you are taken care of as a young adult right now.



What if your parents didn’t care about you anymore? They wouldn’t need to watch over you, no need to feed you, and nurture you, and they won’t need to care where you are and when you will be home. They wouldn’t do what a parent is supposed to do. Then you will be left all alone and no one to care about you anymore.




What if you obey your parents? Your relationship and communication with them will be better. They will allow you to have a little more freedom when you show them that you respect and appreciate what they have done for you. After all that is basically what every teens want.




It is true that making your own decision is really cool, but if all kids started making their own decisions and didn’t listen to their parents, then what is the point of listening to anything your parents say? You won’t need to get a good education anymore, you don’t have to shower and sleep, you don’t have to eat the dinner your parents cook, and you don’t even have to come home. We all love to be independent, but without rules, teens truly cannot survive.




Many teens have curfews and don’t abuse them, even teens that don’t have curfews don’t abuse them, but they’re not the problem; the problem is teens that do abuse this privilege. If kids listen to their parents, their homes will be better places; the parents will trust their kids, because they showed them they are responsible young adults, and slowly that trust can lead to gaining more independence. After all, teens do need freedom, but there is an exchange for that freedom and that exchange is to obey rules.


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This article has 7 comments.


on Jan. 31 2014 at 2:33 pm
-Caroline BRONZE, Chesterfield, New Jersey
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Rules are put in place to be followed.  Many parents nowadays are lenient with their rules and kids abuse their priviliges.  Great article!

on Jan. 31 2014 at 2:32 pm
Dalton Hutchinson BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
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I agree with lots of points you made in this article.  I think that obeying your parents has lots of positive outcomes.  Although I feel like some parents abuse their ability to make rules and become overprotective or give their kids to many chores and stress them out.  Parents could become overprotective and have too many rules.

on Jan. 31 2014 at 2:27 pm
jennamarie3437 BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
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really understand what your trying to explain here. I completely agree with you, people abuse the power their parents give them...... It is totally irresponsible.

Aarif BRONZE said...
on Jan. 31 2014 at 2:27 pm
Aarif BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
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I agree with your article, but I learned that (in my own experiences) that parents are actually a privilige, and that you are lucky to have them!

on Jan. 31 2014 at 2:25 pm
kflynn119 BRONZE, Chesterfield, New Jersey
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I agree with everything you said.  Usually kids don't think of it that way, good job!

on Jan. 31 2014 at 2:17 pm
Alex Mayernik BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
I totally agree with what you said in this article! Nice job!

on Nov. 3 2013 at 8:23 pm
KaylaaLovee GOLD, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
14 articles 1 photo 61 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Imperfection is beauty. Madness is genius. And its better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. And when it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, I'm already better than them."

Its nice to see a teen finally thinking about it from a parents perspective, most kids dont even care, just like u said.