The other point I agree with is that kids inherently know right & wrong. Most of the reason we’re so easy-going with our daughter is because she gives us no reason to be otherwise. I even tell her, “D, you get it. As long as you get good grades, you don’t argue, you do your chores and listen to us when we tell you to do something, you can get your way most of the time.” Another thing she gets is to choose her battles wisely. She won’t keep on us about something unless it’s very important to her, and this happens so rarely we give it a lot more consideration. So, yeah, like you said… keep the leash loose and kids usually make their own boundaries.

Much to the chagrin of our staunch leaders, all of my siblings and I have turned out great. We are active members of the Church. Sure, some of us made bad decisions and had to repent but on the whole, we are really well off. Unfortunately my friends from the more controlling families resent the Church some having gone so far as to leave altogether leave and unMormon themsleves.

I think that in the long run freedom is that way to go. Kids often inherently know what is right and wrong and will do what is right when they are encouraged instead of having barriers constantly erected to keep them where they need to be.