Parents across America are in constant debate on how to raise their children. Kids are our next generation and they deserve to be safe. Some parents raise their kids with strict regiments and give brutal punishments. Other parents give their children freedom to make their own choices. Both sets of parents believe they are doing what is best for their kids. However, studies show that kids with discipline are happier and better off as adults.
Raising your kids in a disciplined household has many benefits. It gives them more freedom to make choices. It prepares them to interact with the world and leads them into adulthood. And, good discipline leads to stronger relationships.
There is more freedom in limitations. Imagine a fish in a lake. It fumes at how unfair it is that it can not go out and explore on land. One day the fish goes out of the ocean, thinking that being outside of the boundaries is good for it. What it doesn’t realize is that limitations are placed for a reason. This leaves the fish with a fatal reaction.
The same could be said for humans. A study was done on playgrounds years ago. Landscape architects discovered that when there is no fence around a playground, kids stay close to their teacher or supervisor in reluctance to be out of their view. However, if there was a fence around the playground they would feel the safety in restriction to run around the entire area. Awareness of safety is found in discipline.
Having discipline also teaches kids healthy boundaries. If a parent lovingly sets and enforces guidelines, their adult kids will have grown past their mistakes and learned to trust and respect them. Limitations teach kids that it is okay to have boundaries. This is an important factor to figure out so they do not get taken advantage of in the future.
Unfortunately, there are many ways to use the power of a parent. Micromanaging gives children the fear of making a mistake. There is wisdom in refraining from being a ‘helicopter mom’. However, there is a difference between micromanaging and discipline. Micromanaging is excessive control while discipline is training to act in accordance with the rules. Discipline is not for creating conflict or controlling children. It is a tool to help guide them away from mistakes that they have made.
Kids should have discipline. There is freedom in limitations. It creates opportunity for them to make their own choice but also acknowledge that there are consequences in life. We need to be aware that discipline is a healthy and loving tool for our society.
- Network, The Learning. “How Should Parents Discipline Their Kids?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Oct. 2009, archive.nytimes.com/learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/how-should-parents-discipline-their-kids/.
- Research Ceneter, Pew. “Parenting in America.” Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project, Pew Research Center, 17 Dec. 2015, www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/12/17/parenting-in-america/.
- Lee, Katherine. “Surprising Reasons Why We Need to Discipline Children.” Verywell Family, Verywell Family, 13 Feb. 2020, www.verywellfamily.com/surprising-reasons-why-we-need-to-discipline-children-620115.
- Horn, Andrew. “The Playground Study – an Important Lesson in Meaningful Gathering.” LinkedIn, 13 Dec. 2022, www.linkedin.com/pulse/playground-study-important-lesson-meaningful-gathering-andrew-horn/.