Are My Parents Too Strict?
Do you ever feel your life is like an episode of World’s Strictest Parents? Do you think your parents are way too strict and you want more freedom? If you want your parents to be less strict and give you more space, then have a listen to this episode.
Today on Parental Guidance I’m giving you the golden key to unlocking the mystery that is getting more freedom from your parents!
“Freedom is given when trust is earned.”
IMPORTANT POINTS
Your parents may seem too strict and overbearing and that they don’t trust you, but because they’ve set boundaries for you they do love you. Think about it if you bought something you love wouldn’t you protect it, put boundaries around it? You would because you care about it, you love it. Your parents are doing the same with you.
1. Have compassion for your parents.
So the first step to unlocking the mystery of more freedom from your parents is to have compassion for them. What you see is as old-fashioned they see as old-fashioned caring. if they didn’t care about you and love you they wouldn’t care about the choices you make.
2. What you’re really asking for is more freedom.
When you say your parents are too strict what you’re really saying is you want more freedom. Every young person who has parents will ask this question. It is possible to gain more freedom, but it’s not as easy you’d like it to be.
Here’s the key: freedom is given when trust is earned. So how do you earn trust? Two ways: first let your parents know (verbally) that you want more freedoms and then specifically ask how you can earn more freedoms. Have a conversation about it. Just having this conversation will impress your parents with your maturity.
3. Own your mistakes before getting caught.
Now that you’ve had the conversation about earning trust and gaining more freedom, you get to go about the challenging work of doing it! An extremely important part of doing so is admitting to the mistakes you make along the way, and admitting to them BEFORE you get caught.
When you admit you’ve made a mistake before getting caught, this can go a long way towards earning trust. Nothing proves you’re trustworthy more than owning your mistakes. When you have confess people have compassion, when you get caught people write you off. Remember that the next time you screw up (everyone does so don’t worry about it) and own your mistake right away.
RESOURCES
TO HAVE ME SPEAK: Top Youth Speakers
SUBMIT A QUESTION: Ask Josh Your Question
WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE?
- Are you a teen and you think your parents are too strict – tell us about it!
- If you’re a young person, how have you gone about earning more trust with your parents?
- If you’re a parent how could your teen or child earn more trust with you?
- What are some techniques you can share with us that have worked to earn more trust? What have you done that hasn’t worked at all?
Please leave your thoughts in the comments below…
