Do parents over-control their child nowadays?

The definition of 'control' is the restraint or direction over something or someone. So what exactly is over-control? My perception of over-control is the excessive restraint on someone to an extend whereby forceful obligation is applied.

So now, do parents really exercise over-control on their child nowadays? Many, especially the children themselves seem to think so.

Today, more and more young people are going astray as we hear of them joining street gangs, taking drugs as well as indulging in sexual activities at a very young age. Such overt acts of insouciance certainly appears to be more prevalent today than they were in the past. In the past, the strong presence of parents went a long way into curbing such activities. Therefore, all the more it is necessary for today's parents to exercise their important role they play in their children's lives.

On the one hand, it is important that parents have to bear in mind that being overly-repressive might result in unwanted consequences. There are parents who practically drive their children into joining street gangs because of their over-control. Children may require love and care, but overdoing it can be harmful. Some parents, ever busy working, think erroneously that showering their children with a dose of love fulfils their duty as loving parents. In fact, this may backfire. The children could end up becoming rebels that seek to escape from the stronghold of such love.

On the other hand, the lack of control also has it's share of negativity. For example, a child whose parents do not enforce ample discipline will think that it is perfectly alright to commit a crime whatsoever. Hence it is the parent's responsibility to set good examples for their children so to curb any insouciant behaviour. A good example is the recent study that isolated a common ground for children starting smoking at a young age- their parents are themselves smokers. It is obvious that children learn what is right and wrong from their parents' examples. As a result, one must be sure that one is not leading the children astray by one's own actions.

Most importantly, as impossible as it may sound, achieving a balance between both letting go and holding on is the only ticket to quelling the issue of bad parent-child relationships.