"While I haven’t tried raising children anywhere else, I really think there’s a purity that the children here have"
I read the article about empowering teens to make their own decisions with great interest. I’ve realized that my kids often ask me for advice when they’re facing a tough decision and, subconsciously, don’t want to take responsibility for the outcome of their choice.
I used to be flattered that they were consulting with me, and eager to share my hard-earned wisdom. But experience has taught me that that’s usually not the wisest course of action.
Decisions often have fallout. And the person making the decision is the one who needs to face — and own — the fallout. It’s very tempting to allow someone else to make your decision. Then, whatever happens, there’s someone else to blame. But it’s not healthy for you or your child for you to become the punching bag. Part of being an adult means owning your choices.
You can discuss the issue with them. You can model how to weigh the pros and cons of an issue. You can offer any helpful information or insights you have about the topic. And then step back. Allow the final choice to be theirs.
Create a free account to keep reading.
