Parents Have No Right to Control The Lives Of Children Above 16?

A milestone in the life of any person is the birth of their first child. Nothing quite compares to the feeling you get when you look down and see the eyes of this little human that you helped create. The joy felt by new parents is almost indescribable. However, this moment passes too quickly and the little human grows up. From the first crawl to the first step to the first words ever spoken, all these little milestones bring great joy to new parents every day.

This joy is naturally associated with a great deal of hardship. Parents struggle to give their children the very best. They worry for their safety, their education and their future. They nurture the child and provide them with a good environment to grow in and develop. A child will generally adore their parents and are thankful for the sacrifices they make. When the child reaches adolescence and hits the teenage years there is an undeniable shift in momentum.

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This change is unfortunately inevitable, and due to this period in a child’s life, many say that parents cannot control teenagers. While it is certainly true that is it difficult to control teenagers, it is hard to speculate with certainty that parents cannot control teenagers. It is also not correct to state that parents have no right to control the lives of a child above 16. Because the do: and when they are involved it creates a better future for the child, due to many variables such as financial stability, guidance and affection, among other things.

The individual has a better percentage for success due to parental involvement.

Teenage rebellion is the cause of the controversy that surrounds parents and their right to control a child above the age of 16. Adolescent rebellion is the main characteristic associated with children aged 14-18. In some cases rebellion can start pre maturely at the age of 9 and can last up until the teenager goes past their teenage years into young adulthood. Children usually rebel against society or parental authority. Rebelling is like second nature to a teenager and comes naturally. They don’t necessarily rebel to hurt their parents but this disobedience causes conflict. And this conflict is the reason why some believe that parents should let go of the reigns of their children’s lives after they turn 16.

Irreconcilable Differences is a Hollywood movie in which the actress Drew Barrymore plays a nine year old girl who divorces her parents. While it may sound hysterical to some, this is actually a practice that takes place in the world today. The official term for the bizarre idea of a child divorcing their parents is emancipation. Emancipation is when the child obtains legal rights from a court of law to separate from their parents due to irreconcilable differences. It is the same premise of divorce, but involves two different parties. While emancipation is accepted among society today, it was not considered normal is the 19th and 20th centuries. Styles and forms of parenting have rapidly changes. In the past parents have had more freedom to discipline their children however they deemed fit: spanking and yelling were encouraged to promote good behavior. On the other hand in modern society, if a parent lays a hand of their child it can be considered abusive, they might even be taken to court. The word ‘no’ is generally discouraged in the practice of modern parenting. These shifts in the ideals of parenting have caused a rift among the relationship between a child and parent, and brought up questions as to what extent a parent should control the life of a teenager.

Another perspective we must examine when discussing the issue of parental control after the age of 16, is cultural background. They are a few major differences about how children are raised in Western cultures as opposed to how they are raised in Eastern cultures. It is generally believed that children who come from Eastern cultures have stricter parents who don’t let them ‘leave the nest’ at an early age. From their formative years, children from Western backgrounds are urged to venture outside the box and gain independence. They usually leave home at the age of 18 to peruse education or other career oriented dreams. Parents encourage children to go out into the world whereas Eastern parents encourage children to stay close to home as a measure of protection. This is why the notion of the amount of control a parent should have on a child’s life varies from culture to culture. It can also vary based on individual beliefs.

A child is formed by their parents. They spend 9 months in their mother’s womb, and mothers usually endure the painful process of labor to bring their child into this world. Parents earn money and raise children providing them with everything they need to the best of their ability for a long period of time. This entitles them to a certain amount of right to the child’s life. After pouring resources and investing so much, why should they not get anything in return? If an investor invested a large sum of money and time into a business, he would do everything in his power to reap his rewards and make that business successful. In the early stages of life, a child accomplishes many achievements. However, these achievements pale in comparison to the achievements they will accomplish after the age of 16. Graduation, weddings, and the birth of a first child: these are all milestones in a person’s life and are generally accomplished after the age of 16. Parents have a right to a say in these major events and they also have a right to attend these major events. Every little thing a child accomplishes brings so much joy to a parent and they have a right to partake in these momentous occasions.

‘At 1.3 trillion dollars, America’s pile of student loan debt is near-incomprehensible in size’ it is common knowledge that in western cultures students take loans to pay for their higher education. Parents are generally only expected to pay for high school, which is an obligation. Higher education is more of a choice. Parents might help in acquiring these loans, but they are generally placed under the student’s name. On the other hand, the procedure in Eastern cultures is a little bit different. Parents are expected to pay for their child’s higher education. If loans are taken from a financial institute, they are generally placed under the parents name and are paid off by the parents rather than the child. When parents have the freedom to have more control over a child’s life, this is beneficial to the child because it means financial stability. This financial security comes at a price, but when weighing out both sides, we can see that it is well worth the price. Life after the age of 16, is hard enough, with the added worry of finances it can become almost unbearable. It is therefore, better to surrender some of the control to your parents and secure financial stability.

There is a saying, ‘you should always trust grey hair, because it has been through more than you can ever imagine’ older people know more than we do, it is a fact. Most of the things that we experience as teenagers and most if these emotions and feelings that we are trying to navigate and sort through, they have already experienced.