One of the most special bonds for parents is the one that they share with their children. Married couples wait for the day when they become parents, as they consider it the most special thing to happen. With the arrival of a baby, come innumerable plans that parents make for their future. Both parents decide upon the type of parenting approach they would adopt, and obviously parents pick approach that suits them and they think to be the best.
Some parents believe that friendliness between parents and children come in the way of a balanced development of a child, and adopt for a strict approach. On the other hand, some parents think that the best way to teach and educate children is to be friends with them. This is a topic that people do serious debates upon, and yet it is nearly impossible to say that each approach is far superior to other in its own right.
People against the notion of parents being friends with children criticize it on various grounds. They say when a parent adopts a friendly approach to bring up a child; it becomes very difficult for a parent to impose rules on a child because in order to impose rules and standards one needs to be a bit strict and stern.
The other view offered is the fact that when a parent and a child become confidants, they share their personal feelings and instances with each other. When a child shares personal information with parents, it is good as parents get to know what is happening in their child’s life and they can always suggest a better and a beneficial way out.
Well, when parents start sharing their personal life with children, and tell them all that they should not be, a child becomes stressed as he cannot understand the depth of situation, or sometimes he misunderstands the situation that has a negative impact over a child’s development.
For instance, single mothers tend to disclose all the financial, emotional, and personal problems to their children, which in turn creates a negative impact on children and they experience psychological distress. Parents should always be their child’s confidant, but never share their serious matters with them until they are grownups and equipped with a mind to understand the serious and complicated matters.
The aforementioned example does not imply that being friends with children is bad; it only means that there is a certain meaning and condition of a friendship between parents and children. If the meaning is understood correctly and all the conditions are followed and respected, the relationship blossoms and has great results.
A plethora of benefits parents can reap if they become best friends of their children. Children always prefer to hide things from their parents who are strict. It is a basic psychology that a human being only discloses feelings to someone who appears to be understanding and capable of presenting a solution. If parents talk to their children like friends and stay frank with them, children in turn would also be frank with their parents and would not hide things.
Your child must know that if he crosses his limit then all that he would get from you is not the friendly behavior, but a scolding. If this balance is maintained, then being friends with children would bring no harm, rather it would benefit both the child and the parents.
Summary
Parents must give some freedom to children but this does not mean that they should give their children a feeling that they are free to do anything they like. Parents have to make a balance between the friendly gestures and the strict ones.
