[dropcap]Q: [/dropcap]My daughter is in a quandary as to how to discipline her children. Many of her co-workers are more permissive with their kids than either I or she; it’s almost as if they don’t care. And yet the kids tell us we are both too old-fashioned. We need some guidelines.
[dropcap]A: [/dropcap]The most important factor in guarding the children is being there. Children need external controls. One of the problems of our times is that there is not enough parental supervision because of working mothers, divorce, etc. Many parents can no longer spend as much time with their children as they would like.
That’s where grandparents can help out. Until children are mature enough to act reasonably, it is the right and duty of both parents and grandparents to closely supervise their activities and to intervene when necessary to ensure they are not in danger of engaging in self-destructive activities.
Don’t expect their approval now. They’ll thank you when they have children of their own.
