It is that easy, to be disciplined with your kids. I was raised in that sort of environment, so I DO know what it's like. And guess what? Yes, my parents raised successful happy kids. I know many parents like to imagine that their jobs are horribly difficult and no one else who isn't a parent can understand, etc., etc., but honestly, quite a few single people do it because they're around kids quite a bit - whether because they're family or they belong to their SOs.
With the greatest respect my dear, this is highly pompous sounding and self aggrandizing. To say that you are as experienced, and able to raise children, because "you have been around them quite a bit." Is is simply delusional. You can "be around them," then send them home to mama, or papa, or both. They don't have that option.
Uh, read my post again. I was LIVING there. There was nowhere to go and nowhere to send them. Same with the Duggars.
And I'm sorry, if I sound pompous but I'm not the only one doing it what with the
"Oh you have no idea what's its like and only those who have experienced it blah blah blah" that some people put on.
Seriously?
I mean really?
Being a neurosurgeon is difficult.
And you know why? There aren't that many around.
How many people are there, right now, raising kids? Being parents?
The numbers are in the billions.
If someone is self-aggrandizing, it's not me.
Obviously, the job isn't that hard because billions do it and the vast majority of kids do not all turn out to be criminals and murderers.
So perhaps your definition of 'hard' and mine are different.
So, yes, as you can tell from public experience with people and bratty kids, parents are not often very good at their jobs. Mostly, because as some people on this thread have admitted, they're not very disciplined when it comes to raising their kids.
It's called tough love. Try it sometime, it might make a difference.
And sorry, I was a kid also, and I also appreciated how my parents were raising me once I was old enough to understand. I guess actually BEING a kid and understanding how I was being raised doesn't count? Whatever.
We were not wealthy. Things like electronics and trips and cable TV and fancy gadgets were not part of my reality. And no, we didn't grow up to be thieves and criminals (BTW, that was extremely offensive to suggest that poor kids deprived of things grow up resentful and headed toward criminal lives.)
My sister and I did grow up happy. That she's a self-absorbed adult was not learned at home.