Best Friends?

There's an "viewpoint" article in today's Dallas Morning News, which for some reason isn't on-line yet, that highlights a new marketing research study that says that 43% of parents want to be "best friends" with their children. 73% admit that the last thing they purchased for their teen was something they guessed their teen wanted as opposed to something they asked for.

A quote from author Ruben Navarrette, "It's no wonder that the parents of today want to be their kids' best pals. Trouble is, that's a prescription for disaster. Many kids have plenty of friends. Some may even have more than their share of friends. What they need are parents--dedicated, firm and hands-on parents who don't mind being resented a little for laying down the law."

One 22 year old said: "There's no way I'm going to be like my mom. My mom does everything for me. She's made me lazy. There's no way the kids are going to rule my house. I'm going to be a bad-ass parent."

Maybe we should put the last line of his quote on a t-shirt and give it away when new parents take each newborn home from the hospital. And then make them follow through with it.