Should Parents have any right in deciding their childs future?

1. 79

   Clayton Fernandesposted 12 years ago

   Should Parents have any right in deciding their childs future?
   
   I believe every child should be open to the possibility to pursuing whatever they should wish, once they're mature enough. There are many parents that want the best for their child and yet its not what they want to do or are good at.
   
   
   
   
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2. 85

   ComfortBposted 12 years ago

   No parent can really decide a child's future. A parent can plan for it, but ultimately it's the choices a child makes, coupled with the encouraging/rewarding factors the child is surrounded by that determines the future of the child.
   
   In the case of a disabled/incapacitated child, yes the parent should have the rights to make all the decisions (that ultimately defines the child's future) for that child.

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3. 61

   Leaderofmanyposted 12 years ago

   Every child should be able to be who he/she wants to be. If that child wants to be a bum on the beach then let them be, soon they will figure out who they really are. No parent has the right to make that child follow the path that they want the child to follow. Each person has different ideas about who or what they want to be.

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4. 70

   brakel2posted 12 years ago

   Parents can suggest but not make decisions for their older child. The main concern seems to be choice of college. Of course, finances are in the picture, but if no problem, the teen should decide where he wants to go and his choice of study. It is important to have a good relationship with teens and to be able to discuss openly with parents using the word "suggest" and not "demand". Sometimes, teen's' choices do not work out, but they will only learn by mistakes and become stronger for it. Teens will rebel and withdraw from parents who try to force them into decisions.

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5. 73

   breathe2travelposted 12 years ago

   I think it is a parent's responsibility to prepare children for the future.  I do not think I should dictate to my children what career path they are to take.  However, I will train them to be diligent, honest, loyal, persistent, determined, and critical thinkers.  I expect them to do their best at school and any extracurricular activity... why participate if you are not going to do your best?
   
   I may be able to help filter choices through questions and research, but ultimately, I believe the decision is between the child and God.

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6. 59

   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   It is our job as parents to give them the self-confidence, self-esteem, love and security to make good decisions and pursue what they really want to do. 
   
   I don't have the right to make decisions about my child's future but I have the responsibility to make sure the child is ready to make his/her own decisions regarding that future.

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7. 48

   padmendraposted 12 years ago

   If a person makes his career in technology and his purpose in life is something else, he would never become satisfied with his own career till he is given a free hand to accomplish his life purpose.Therefore every parents should suuport their children deciding their future and avoid forcing them to choose what they want.
   
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8. 61

   JSimpleposted 12 years ago

   We all do it automatically.  We raise our child to the best of our abilities and answer questions the best we can and guide them in the direction we believe they should go.  Overtime our children start to make their own decisions, and after that its out of our hands.  We can only give them a path to follow which is what we did, our children will decide for themselves if they choose to go in a new direction once on the path we paved for them.

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9. 0

   Lizam1posted 11 years ago

   Children become adults.  Our job as parents is to nurture, encourage, guide and ensure as far as possible a stable home environment with access to food, education and loving parents.  Providing them with critical thinking skills and how to make choices and recognizing there are consequences to less healthy choices. The choices they make about their futures should be their own.

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10. 82

    tamarawilhiteposted 11 years ago

    If a parent is paying for the child or young adult's upkeep, then yes, they get to make the decisions. When someone is independent, they can make their own choices about schooling, employment and love.

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    1. 0

       Lizam1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       The problem with that model is that for some families the children do not learn how to make choices and decisions.  Educating them about what things cost in order to make choices can be helpful though

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11. 83

    gmwilliamsposted 11 years ago

    Parents should motivate their children to use their utmost human potential.  However, I strongly contend that parents should never plan their children's future.  Many people are in careers/jobs they hate because the career/job was not of their choosing but their parents.  Also, many young people fail college and courses because their parents choose the college and courses instead of letting the young people make the decision. 
    
    Even if the young person is initially unsuccessful regarding his/her major, at least, it is his/her decision.  If the major was a mistake, there are ways that the young person could work around it.  Many people who have their parents' dictate their future and life are VERY UNHAPPY people.  They do not own their lives but are living lives to please their parents.  That is no good at all.
    
    The best thing that a parent can do is to teach their children to become self-motivated.  Children who are self-motivated have the wherewithal to success in any task and/or under adversity.  Parents who make decisions for their children, particularly their future, will have very unhappy children who will one day HATE them for robbing them of their individual lives and independence.  Such parents can be classified as quite abusive and authoritarian.

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12. 60

    GinaVanEppsposted 8 years ago

    No. They should not. It's not their life to live!

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