One of the most frustrating parts of being a parent is knowing exactly what’s going to happen and being completely unable to stop it.
Good parents know that punishments should come with explanations. It doesn’t do much good to punish a child without explaining what they did wrong. That’s how children learn what behavior is acceptable and what isn’t. They don’t know enough – or have enough experience – to figure these things out entirely on their own. They need parents, teachers, and other adults to help show them the way.
Teenagers, however, are another story. By the time they start driving and gaining some independence, many feel they’ve accumulated enough experience to make decisions for themselves. They don’t need their parents telling them what choices to make. As parents, we warn them about certain dangers: if you do this, this bad thing might happen. But as everyone knows, teenagers already know everything.
