In some countries children have very strict rules of behavior, in other countries, they are allowed to do almost anything they want. To what extent should children have to follow rules?
Children have very strict rules of behavior
Essay – children have very strict rules of behavior
Generally, the way parents bring up their children varies greatly depending on the region, religion and personal outlook of parents. While some prefer to apply strict discipline, some believe in providing total independence.
A close observation reveals that strict rules of behavior create responsible and respectful children who in turn mature into respectable adults. This forms a stable society which is virtually free from vices such as prostitution and drug abuse. In India, for example, the level of morality is very high and children are supposed to be very submissive to their parents as well as other adults around them. However, forcing children to follow strict rules of behavior does not always yield positive results as discussed above. Many a time, it backfires and works against society. To illustrate, children who grow up in strict discipline may lack in self-esteem and decision-making capacity. Also, teenagers are more likely to do disobey their parents simply because they want to be independent.
However, in Western countries, the picture is totally different. Their children are allowed to live as they wish. The first benefit observed in such cases is that these children are more self-dependent than their counterparts. Also, they have better decision-taking power too. In sharp contrast, it is also seen that at times, they will get out of hand and become work-shy and indolent. This will then create a burden on society as the government has to find ways to curb these social evils. A perfect example is the street gangs and their fight for turf in developed nations.
At the end of the day, it is clear that children should be guided by rules, but these rules should not be imposed on them because as human beings, they need to have room to develop their own traits of character and adopt a behavioral pattern of their own.
