*stands up on the box*
Okay, I know where you're coming from, DemonGT. Being a 21-year-old college student still living at home, I sure as heck know a LOT about this stuff, so I'll give you what I've learned about parents and their kids' behavior.
My parents give me some 'guidelines' to follow as long as I'm living here, which won't be that much longer since I'm going to Michigan State next year. These guidelines include things like: call home if I'm going to be out past 1:00am, clean up my messes (I call them rebuilds, but to each his own), and just try to help out around the house. I play along with these just fine, cooking dinner occasionally, cleaning up things that aren't even my messes (usually are my brother's), and just making some good ol' conversation with them when I can.
Okay, how 'uncool' is that? Well, they're helping me with car insurance, some extra $$$ for college expenses, a place to live, and so forth. They really do a LOT for me, and I know for a fact it wouldn't be happening if we weren't on good terms. If I was a little arsehole like that 15-yr-old you were talking about, I'd get NOTHING. Not only financially, but having a suffering relationship with your family is the worst thing you can do. Not being loved by your parents because of your own actions? Awful....and tragic.
One thing I've learned through the walk of life is that your friends may come and go, but your family will always be there, whether you like it or not. I know sometimes there are extenuating circumstances to that (adoption, family dysfunctionality), but your mother will always be your mother, and your father will always be your father.
Here's another way of looking at it. A lot of parents don't want their kids winding up like the ones whose parents don't care where they go, what they do, when they do it, or who they're doing it with. Enforcing the rules strictly gives children a 'fear-of-god/parents' attitude which is better than the more common 'I-don't-give-a-sh*t' one. Those latter kids are typically losers because their parents didn't give them OR enforce any sort of discipline OR repect, hence the parents are losers. Period. Hey, if you're a parent, it is your God-given duty to make sure your child is given the means, the obligation, and the encouragement to be decent human beings. If your kid grew up to kill people or be a criminal, wouldn't YOU feel the least bit responsible? Well, at least until they're out of the house, you SHOULD!
I think my parents have done a fantastic job raising me. I have an outstanding respect for others, I'm a good citizen, and I can take care of myself. Yeah, yeah, you calling me a 'nice guy'? haha, only sometimes. LoL
Next time your 'rents do something you think's unfair, take a look at it from their point of view. If you want a tip, only ask to do something out of the ordinary once in a while, that way they're more likely to say yes.
