I had fantastic parents, and I still did a ton of partying when I was young and loved every minute of it. My siblings were nothing like me. It really just comes down to innate personality characteristics. |
"American" women? This is a nationality problem, not a physiological one? LOL. |
Good parenting evolves for each child, you may have needed something your siblings didn't/ Though I agree sometimes parents can do their best for any given child, and that child still makes poor choices. |
| Birth order. Having an older sibling even if just two years older. |
How is your son doing now? How has his life turned out? |
| I think some parents completely underestimate how much impact peers have with teens and in turn, overestimate how much influence they (parents) have. It's why kids from the same family can have very different experiences. |
Same. In fact I had extremely attentive parents who wouldn’t even let me walk to the bus stop that was outside our house alone until I was in high school. They didn’t want me driving, getting my license was not an option. I was never left at home alone, my grades were watched closely, I was not allowed to date. I still found ways to sneak out at night to party. They never even knew. My younger sibling had no interest in partying ever. We are both fairly buttoned up, boring adults now. |
That deosnt sound like very good parenting to me |
+1 |
|
|
Innate personality plus money,.in many cases.
If the kids are "popular" in middle school, those are usually the ones to watch out for. |
In some instances parents encourage their kids to be this way because they want them to be cool and popular. These are the same parents who give their kids phones without rules/boundaries in elementary school (usually under the pretense that they think having a phone keeps their kids safe from school schootings, etc.) |
| Whether I am right or wrong, I believe that the number one thing that you can do for your child (outside of providing for their needs and loving them) is to teach them to believe in themselves and to like who they are. Of course, most kids want to fit in and want to be liked, but...outside of that, teach your kids to really think for themselves. To always be kind. To remember that at the end of the day, they have to be happy with the choices they make. Teach them to say no and to say it forcefully. Teach them to value themselves and to be proud of the person that they are. How did my parents do this? How did I do this with my kids? I think it comes down to spending a lot of time with them. To talking things through when they are young. To showing them how to make good choices. To supporting them when they make tough decisions and to letting them know that they are loved and they are enough as they are. I think that you have to embrace each child for the person they are and let them know you believe in and support them. I wish I could better put this into words, but I believe that the relationship you have with your kids, and how they see you live your life, goes a long way. Of course, if there is trauma or perhaps some severe mental health issues, this can only go so far. But, really listen to your child, and let them know that you are always there for them. It makes a huge difference in the choices that they make. |
It is 100% this. |
| I was this way. I grew in a very adult world. |