What Good Parents Know That Bad Parents Don't - The Paradox of Authority

There is always something that good parents knowhave a common goal - development of the child. They
and bad parents don't. Today we will speak aboutreport non-verbally to each other about their
parental authority, the one, where children naturallyparticipation in this common goal.
respect their parents and are not afraid of them. This3. Sense of duty develops when one watches their
level of parental authority can be tested by theown job
willingness of children to obey and not resist theirIn cooperation with children a natural sense of duty
parents. In a good parent-child relationship the problemdevelops. While I cooperate with a person I am more
of obedience or resistance of children is resolved onoccupied with how well I fulfill my duty rather than how
its own. What do good parents know about thesehe fulfills his duty. Good parents teach children that no
problems?one owes anything to anybody. Parents can't demand
1. Children don't obey, they just work together withanything from another person, they can only demand
parentsfrom themselves. Everyone does his or her job rather
Good parents arrange their activity with children sothan jealously watching others and how they do their
that there is only one boss, one manager: the work,job. This is the best way to develop a sense of duty,
which must be done. Parents and children share onewhere duty becomes joy, not a burden.
goal, the job at hand. They work together. They4. Equal soul participation instead of equal contribution
cooperate. Here is the paradox of authority: for manyHow do parents and children become equal if they are
people it seems that children obey parents, where inin fact not equal? Yes, the physical contribution is not
fact they don't obey them, and they don't resist; theyequal, but souls can participate equally. Work -
simply solve problems together with parents.together! This doesn't mean that we go together to a
2. Parents become teachers, when they stop teachingnearby store for fresh bread. But as a parent, I
The problem between generations is solved by itself,participate in this trip: I help the boy to prepare for
when, in cooperation with children parents acquire realshopping, then, I assess the purchase, listen to his
authority. Yet, the paradox is that authority arrives onlystories of adventure on the way to the store. What is
when parents "stop teaching," in other words, "stopthe boy's part? He is happy to go to the store when
preaching." "I stop teaching - and I become a teacher. Ihe has the attention of his parent. Therefore such a
am not afraid to lose authority, instead I acquire it. Thisjob is a joy for him!
is authority without pressure. My child has a naturalOf course, natural authority doesn't come overnight.
respect for me, and I have the same for him. We areWith a great desire, though, parents may reach their
not equal by age, but we are equal because of thegoal, and parenting becomes an everlasting happiness,
common goal. Together we are interested in it" (Simonespecially sweet when children grow up to be adults,
Soloveychik). Those who cooperate in upbringing areand they teach their children the way their parents
not colleagues, as those who know their work andtaught them.
report to a boss. People who cooperate in upbringing