I have to plug here for great parenting. I'm 43. I thank my parents whenever I can for being the sticklers they were when I was 17. I hated them back then. But they loved me so much they were on me like white on rice at that age.
I met some classmates a few years ago. I was shocked to find out that some of my peers, who I used to envy for having such easy parents, had actually died of aids. I'm not making this up !
Mom and Dad gave me the tools for successful living: faith and a strong work ethic, by their example. Ya gotta be there for your kids...no getting around it.
Your comments mimic my up-bringing exactly. Thank goodness for parents who will be parents instead of tring to be their child's 'friend'!
What was the Mark Twain quote? "When I was 17 I thought my father was an idiot, but at 21 I was surprised at how much he had learned in just 4 years."