Power Tripping

There are some parents that have this need to have control over their children. I'm not talking about control as in what time they go to bed, their curfew etc. I am referring to the need to put it simply..."be the boss". Why do they feel this need to have total control over their children's lives?

Of course as parents, we need to have set rules for our children to follow and we do it for their safety and wellbeing. However, where do we draw the line on doing it for their best interests or doing it because...as some parents say..."because I said so?"

As an example, I knew one mother that wouldn't let her daughter wash her hair every day. Her reasons? Nothing valid I could think of. Was it causing the daughter to be late for school? No. Was it bad for her hair to wash it daily? No again. So the mom's reason? Power and control as I see it. The result was her daughter would go to school early and wash her hair in the girl's washroom. I found that very sad. Sad that the mother felt this need to have this control over her daughter and sad that the daughter had to sneak behind her mother's back to do something almost every girl does. That would be the day I would discourage my teen from good hygiene. When it comes to boys you practically have to throw them in the shower!!

Another example. When the School Board brought into the Kindergarten classroom 'snacks provided' instead of the children having to bring their own snacks daily, I know one mother that disagreed strongly. The reason for the school bringing this into being was to ensure that all children received good nutritious snacks as some parents would send inappropriate sweet snacks and then some kids would come with barely anything. This mother wanted her child to eat what she prepared and sent with her and did not want to take part in the program. Okay, I'm not going to argue the mother's point as she may have some valid issues. However, the result of her stand left her daughter sitting there eating different snacks than the rest of her schoolmates and really made her feel centered out, all because the mother wanted to 'prove her point.' No matter that it was at the expense of her daughter.

Do these parents not realize taking these stands the effect it has on their children or is their need to as I said earlier..."be the boss" mean more to them.

The next time you take a stand at the expense of your child, just give it a lot of thought and think how it will affect them and then ask yourself, is it really worth it?