I’m unaware if this show is new or old, but recently I’ve stumbled upon the World’s Strictest Parents. It’s a British show that takes delinquent teens and sends them to live with really strict parents and their families, to try to change their ways. I’ve only watched maybe 4 episodes, and aside from the fact that I’m hooked to this show, I don’t sometimes agree with how strict the parents are.

I’ve grown up in a household that I suppose I would say way strict, but not as strict as some of these families by far. I think that in a way they’re strictness is really effective to the kids that grew up very spoiled, I mean every kid needs some sort of guidance and a line not to be over stepped. However in real life I have seen the repercussions of both really strict parents, and too lenient parents through my friends and people I have come across.

my parents never really told me what I couldn’t do, yes when I was younger I had rules, and had to ask if I could go somewhere first. but once I went into high school I was never scared to tell them I wanted to go to a party, because I knew that as long as I told them where I was and kept them updated on when I would be home everything would be okay. I’ve never had a curfew and I think it’s because I just text my parents throughout the night to let them know I’m alive, and when I’m coming home. I know what my limits are, and obviously I know that if I came home wasted, or on drugs or whatever the trouble may be, I would be in deep trouble. but I think that what has worked in my life is the fact that I am trusted and in return because I know how good I have it, I don’t want to break that trust out of fear that my privileges would be taken away.

I’ve seen really strict parents, who while have really good kids who do school work and don’t get into trouble, continue to stay really strict. I don’t understand this because if someone is a good kid, why not let them go to that party once in a while? They haven’t done anything to break that trust, so why not trust them to make good decisions. I think those individuals are more likely to rebel because no matter what they do they will never get rewarded with freedom, and figure well I’ll just do it anyways. And then in turn end up getting into more trouble than they would have if the parents had just let them go out in the first place.

This being said I have also seen teens with parents who really don’t try to tell their kids what to do at all. I mean it’s nice that they let them have freedom, but every teen needs guidance and shouldn’t, not have any repercussions in their life. If no one tells someone when enough is enough, then the next level of trouble they get into could wind up in the hands of authority, and had those parents instilled even the slightest bit of fear of punishment in their children, perhaps it wouldn’t have gotten quite so out of hand. it also even makes me angry to see people in my life who I care about do trouble some things, and while their parents will yell at them, they never have any consequences to their yelling, and the kid knows that the anger will never last, so they can just do it again the next day. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying this out of jealousy in the slightest for kids with parents like that; I get genuinely worried for them. Because I can’t do anything to help or stop their destructive paths, and if I and they parents can’t stop them, who can? And how far go to get there?

I suppose I was really lucky with the family I was born into. I have the freedom to make my own choices, but I also know that if I made poor ones, they will have repercussions. I have gotten in trouble a few times in my life, I’m not perfect, but I learned from those mistakes. Some teens feel so constricted from their parents that they can’t or couldn’t wait to leave the house when they turned 18. Me on the other hand, I don’t mind staying home throughout university. I know the older I get, the more freedom I will have, and living at home isn’t like living in a house being watched constantly. I mean I think I’ve turned out okay, and I don’t think I would have wanted to be raised much differently.

Whoa I know this has gone on, on quite a bit of a tangent, but if you haven’t already, give the how the World’s Strictest Parents a shot, and maybe you will see what I’m trying to say upon watching the show.