Why are parents so controlling?

Photo Credit: Chelsea DeBoef

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February 1, 2013 • Chelsea DeBoef, Staff Writer
Filed under Viewpoints

Parents can be so controlling and create conflicts in our life, but we all wish that we could get along with them better. The truth is, they are only controlling because they care for our safety.

It can surely get annoying, but most of the time, they are only doing it because they do care. Why do we teenagers always clash with our parents though?

The answer is simple: we grew up in different generations. Our parents grew up in a time when it was okay to go out from morning to night and be safe, whereas we grow up in a time where it is dangerous to be walking or hanging out at night. “I feel as if it is the media’s fault. We have arisen from a time where our parents did not have as much technology to access to the media and its helpful, but also dangerous information. Because of this, they were always out being busy or having fun with friends, but in a safer environment. Nowadays when we have free time, we are stuck on our phones or perhaps watching TV because it’s not safe enough to be outside anymore like it used to be,” says Senior Adriana Garcia.

Sometimes they tell us to go out and do something for a change, but when we finally make plans, they start to badger us with multiple questions. They even tell us that we cannot go out because it is not safe enough for their liking either. “I felt the same way when I was a teenager. My parents would always hound me with questions when I would go out, but now that I’m a parent, I’m really glad about it because it just meant that they cared. I was blessed with parents who cared for me and for my safety,” said receptionist Cathy Schofield.

Times have changed since when they were kids, and there is nothing we can really do about that, but what we can do is try to improve our relationships with our parents. It seems as if it is a silly solution, but nowadays, it is true that our relationships are based on poor respect for each other.

Most of our problems are that we do not respect each other’s wishes enough in order to care about how the other one is feeling. Both of the parties have faults on each of our ends, but that is not to say that the fighting cannot be lessened.

“I believe that what it all comes down to is responsibility and respect. Sometimes I feel that the teenagers these days have lost their respect for parents. I feel that this is why parents get mad sometimes, because sometimes teenagers are a bit demanding at times without respect to parent’s feelings,” said Schofield.

Sometimes in life, we have to compromise. Both of us may not have our way, but we could compromise in a way that both of the parties are at least satisfied.

A little step towards responsibility for our actions and respect towards our elders can improve the clashes between their generations and ours.

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