I celebrate the fact that my father was strict as hell. I was a hot rodder when young but toed the line with my father. He was a great guy and I miss him. Always there for me but if I crossed the line, all hell broke lose. A different world that I miss today.
On of my son's asked my husband why he was so strict on the little things with my 3 boys. He said, “did you ever get in big trouble? Was the police ever at my door? No. I didn't let you get away with the little things to make sure there were no big things.” My liberal friend tried to be friends with her girls & "trust them" (and did not verify) She ended up with the police at her door a few times & one pregnant at 15. I gently tried to tell her, but she did not want to hurt their feelings by them thinking she did not trust them. Big mistake. Kids will sent the boundaries if you let them.
There are still good fathers, but times are difficult for raising children. ...I didn’t meet my father until I was 13, and left home when I was 15, and all these long years since, he means less than nothing to me. Times were different though. I grew up on the streets, but still had the values my grandparents had given me as a young child. What little I was raised, I learned not to prey on those who were weaker than me, to respect children, old people, women and those less fortunate than me. I met a surprising number of street tough people who thought the same way. Not today. Our culture has been destroyed.