Should parents be accountable for their children as long as their children live under that roof?

Question

I say "yes". Don't blame your child's obesity, drug use, and sexual activity on them.

Answer 1

You are responsible for your child until they are no longer a minor. After that, they must live their own lives.

Answer 2

Ok.. Im betting a good portion of everyone who answered this question with YES doesnt have any children. Yes there are some parents who dont give a crap what thier children are doing.. so the children do as they please.. etc. Then there are ppl that DO care.. teach thier children right and wrong.. and thier children dont listen (becuase ppl dont understand that no matter WHAT yer parents says your gonna do it regardless) but those parents should be blamed? Thats just SO wrong!!!!!!

A parent is so screwed in the eyes of most.. seriously. We teach them what bad/good.. they screw up.. WE are to blame. Even tho we spent COUNTLESS yrs trying to show them whats is bad for them.. that we want better for them. They take that wrong path... Its our fault cuz we did nothing. But if we basically told them to come home after school.. and basicially TIED em to thier beds.. Thats child Neglect!

Children are gonna find away no matter what. Hate to bring that to attention but its the truth. Parents who work thier asses off teaching thier children should not be to blame you CAN only do so much! Sheesh.

Answer 3

I say YES also, however that is as long as the government leaves how we raise them up to us parents. That way, there is NO excuses on the child's outcome. The blame would be completely on us parents. This just cuts out all the finger pointing you hear about when someones child gets in trouble.

Answer 4

Yes, I do believe that parents should be held accountable for there children's actions. If children are disciplined right at home and have consequences for there actions at home. Then 99% of the time you will not have to worry about being held accountable because they will not end up in trouble. If children are aware that there are consaquinces then they will think before they act. Children ar very influincal they do as they see and are tought.

Answer 5

It depends on the age of the child, if we are talking younger kids, then yes. If you let your child eat junk and they get fat, your fault! Like those idiots who sued McDonald's, and the ones who throw fits about their fat little kids and blame it on the cereal company's. It is completely the parents fault. They need to get off their lazy butts and cook for their kids! There is a difference in a child that is "chunky" and one that is really fat. If your kid throws a rock and breaks someones window, your fault for not supervising your kid while they are playing! Nothing p***es me off more then seeing young kids out side alone! I have seen kids as young as 2 or 3 out side with no one out there with them, some people are just idiots.

As far as teenagers go, you can do your best, but sometimes that isn't enough. I was a wild teen, but never got brought home by the cops, and knew better then to get pregnant. But I also knew my mom was gonna be in the living room when I walked into the house at midnight, and I knew I better be in at 12:00, not 12:01. Or I wasn't going out the next weekend! And I couldn't go any where with someone they hadn't met. I was also told, "if you get pregnant don't come home!" My parents weren't trying to be my friend!! I did smoke a little pot in high school, and got really drunk on more then one occasion. Wasn't my parents fault, I knew it was wrong. Once I was out of high school I realized all that was just stupid. My parents did a good job, but they were there, we ate dinner at the table together every night, and they knew all our friends, and always had to know who we were going out with, who else was going, where we were going, and when would we be home. Just those little things can make all the difference in the world.

Answer 6

I used to think so before I had teenagers. I now have two teenage daughters who are 15 and 17 yo. Our older daughter is completely determined to ruin her life - only she thinks she has all the answers and all will be sunshine and roses once she's out of our house.

I greatly appreciated the post by Lin G; I've always had a good relationship with my daughter until she "fell in love". Now nothing matters to her but this boy who is completely unworthy of her. He is now 19 and has spent 65% of the time we've known him in jail or rehab. He is a high school drop out also, but, hey...she's "in love". She plans on marrying him once she turns 18. He's on house arrest now so I'm not sure how that's going to happen.

Anyway, being in a family is a two way deal. I have to choose to be a good mother, and my daughter has to choose to be a good daughter. I am a good mother; she has now chosen not to be a good daughter. Children don't necessarily turn out "right" just because you've done the "right" things.

Answer 7

There are no simple answers, and until I have teenagers I'm out on a limb, but yes, as parents you are their most important example. The way you live your life will become the norm for them, and if they live their lives better or worse then you did, that norm was their baseline and starting point.

But at the same time they are their own people, individuals with free will and as they get older you do have to give them opportunities to make their own decisions.

Answer 8

YES. i began smoking and using drugs at 12. i became pregnant at 13. and ill just say that looking back now i realize why, there were reasons that were not my fault and out of my control. however, without realizing, my mother was clueless that the sutuations in my life led up to these things and as a consequence i was put to blame and felt a lot of guilt. (my mother loves me)

Answer 9

That's not entirely true. I agree that you need to be accountable for your child's actions to some level.... you CAN'T ALWAYS be watching them 24/7 as they get older, they ARE going to do things behind your back no matter much you teach them right from wrong.... they are going to have sex behind your back, eat junkfood behind your back and OBVIOUSLY keep the fact that they have tried drugs behind your back.... they don't want to be punished..... You need to keep the lines of communication open with them AND PRAY.... that they are honest with you.... they will be if you talk to them....but what they do behind your back you cannot control and shouldn't blame yourself.... my parents were VERY good parents... I always talked to them...about everything.... but I fell in love very young, and no matter how much they tried to encourage me and talk to me and tell me not to have sex, I did it anyway...now I have a kid....I'm 22 now and I also have anothe baby... my oldest is five... They cannot be responsible for my actions because I didn't listen to them.... I now have my own place with my Bf... but before i didn't

Answer 10

Yes, if we as parents don't do what is best for them they will end up doing bad things , but we can't blame them for that it is our responsability as parents to be able to see what is wrong and help them if need it !!! :)