By Katie Pittman - Matrix Staff Writer
We all know about those parents who cling to their children. Some teens embrace it, while others rebel.
But how much is too much? Is there such a thing as not enough?
What effects can this have on the children of these parents?
If parents tend to “hover” over their children, it can be annoying. Everyone agrees that sharing every detail with parents can be uncomfortable. It’s also irritating to have someone constantly in our business.
As teens, we crave independence. Sometimes we just want to feel like we can make all of our own decisions.
In other cases, parents that are too hands-on often lead to a child becoming too dependent.
Although most teens want the ability to make their own decisions, some enjoy never having to make them.
It may seem easier not to think for ourselves, but in doing so, we lose some of our independence.
Without being forced to make some of our own decisions, we lean on others to make them for us. As teens, we are supposed to take risks. Sometimes bad decisions become good lessons. If our parents are constantly deciding for us, we will not learn much. On the other hand, some parents are not involved enough in their teen’s lives. This can cause children to become dependent on the wrong people or wrong activities.
If parents are not there enough for their children, it can cause children to doubt themselves and their other relationships. In many cases, this leads to an attempt to overcompensate for the loss of a parental relationship with other relationships.
With too much freedom, teens can become overwhelmed with choices and end up making the same mistakes repeatedly.
As teens, we need to depend on our parents for some things; we haven’t had the experience in life that they have, and that experience is something we can utilize.
Of course, there are parents who have found that happy medium. They allow for almost equal parts freedom and reliance. This allows children to make their own decisions with certain limitations.
These parents guide their children to- wards the right decisions; they do not push towards a certain side or simply let them pick whichever. This can help teens decide what works and what does not.
It may sound cliché, but in situations like this, honesty is the best policy. If we feel like our parents are being too overbearing or not taking enough interest in what we are doing, we should talk to them.
Parents know us better than most, but even they need some help figuring out what we are thinking. They cannot read our minds. If we communicate clearly and meet our parents halfway, we will hopefully grow into mature young adults… who live outside of their parents’ basements.
