Having parents or someone to unconditionally love you is an amazing feeling. They take care for us and can be our biggest fans at times.

However, what happens when they are too strict?

Growing up I was raised with strict parents. Or at least that’s what I considered them to be. I rarely had sleepovers with friends, if anything my friends had to come to my house.

When I became a teenager I started to see the many privileges my friends had and I envied them because I wanted them as well. However, those chances were slim to none. I was only allowed to hang out with people my parents personally knew and trusted. They also would confirm with their parents that I was going over.

This became extremely stressful. At times, I felt trapped. My parents also took social media as a big deal. When Myspace came out I was allowed to have it. However, my mom made up a password and was the only one that knew it. I would have to ask her when I wanted to go on. In the beginning I was okay with it until about a few years later when I got Facebook. When Facebook came out I thought I would be able to finally have my own password.

However, I was sadly mistaken.

My parents continued to stick to the same rules. In fact, I found myself getting into trouble because I would secretly get another account and my parents would always find out. Therefore, it would make my situation worse because now my parents had a reason to not trust me.

Also, due to me not being trustworthy my parents called Tmobile and put restrictions on my phone. They restricted me to make calls and send text messages passed 9 p.m. I remember that being the all-time low for me. I felt like I had absolutely no freedom and wanted a way out.

However, what I didn’t realize was the good that came out of all the rules. Growing up my parents instilled great morals in me and showed me how to prioritize. My parents taught me that God, my family, and my education were my only priorities in life.

Therefore, despite the little mistakes I made, I always felt like my education was all I had. I was all about school and took it seriously. Also, being that I barely had a social life, I decided to challenge myself and do two years in one in high school. Therefore, I graduated and started college at 16.

I realized after if I had all the freedom I wanted at such a young age I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I did. I probably would have been involved with the wrong crowd and who knows where I would’ve been. Therefore, I cannot thank my parents enough for giving me rules.

As kids, we only see the moment not the future. I only saw them being strict not all the things they were protecting me from. Parents only want the best for us. Therefore, they weren’t being “strict” they were just being parents.

Now I can proudly say I just turned 20 and on Dec. 19 I will officially be done with college. I would never have been able to say that without my parent’s rules and constant support. And for those that have been in the same position as me growing up, I’m sure they can attest to the good that came out of it.

As much as I complained as a child, I know I will be raising my children the same way my parents did.