Being 14 myself and having parent’s who allow me to lead my own largely independent life where for years it is I who have chosen what to do, when to do it and how to do it, I know how exhilarating it is to feel free and be able to do what you want without any restraint.

However, some other children take it way overboard. These children are rebellious, loose and downright out of control and it is a clear fact that it is the parents - not society - that is to blame. These parents, such as those of the obnoxious 16-year-old Corey, who made it onto world news, have obviously spoiled him and allowed him to run free without a leash for far too long.

By allowing your children to be independent, you give them a boost of ego and a sense of superiority which they convey to the rest of the world. They begin to feel as if they should be treated as an adult would and they believe that by acting tough, they are tough. They become rebellious and dislike it when others tell them what to do. Take Corey for example. Your average (yes, average) teenager who has finished high school. Flamboyant hairstyle dyed from dishwater hair to wannabe blonde, sunglasses and ‘cool’ clothing and an extreme dislike for adults. He loves to go against the law and go drinking, often intoxicating himself and damaging his brain in ways his underdeveloped mind (blame the parents) could ever comprehend.

He is the striking example of what every teenager and tween is aspiring and developing to. Tough, cool, popular and largely independent. Dislikes authority and rebellious.

Yes, many children, possibly even yours wants to be like him. He is their role model because over the years, this new generation of children are not controlled because of parents that don’t know what parenting is about. A few people from my school are exactly like this. Well, almost. They intoxicate themselves at least once a month, go out for hours, sometimes even overnight and lead the ‘bad boy’ type of life which every kid wants to be. Worst of all, these people are actually quite pleasant to talk to and intelligent, unlike Corey, who is dumb’s best friend. He’s probably had his fair share of marijuana too.

It isn’t limited to this. Your children (I call them children because the definition of children is a minor and offspring and that is what they are) do other things even in your very own home. They look at pornographic imagery and cuss and generally make a nuisance of themselves and others on the ‘Net. Myspace is alright, except for those where stupid parents have let their kids be forced into suicide because of it.

Parents, coming from a teenager, you need to control your kids more. You need to monitor what they do online and get them off those porn sites (don’t tell me they don’t look at it because they do). You need to install software either on their computer or the router that will block these sites. You need to enforce curfews and actually see what they do with their friends. You need to exercise restraint and limits and stop them from consuming alcohol underage. You need to put Google into strict safe search mode permanently then stop them from deleting cookies and accessing that page entirely. You need to scour their possessions for drugs and dispose of it if discovered. You need to make sure they only converse with people who are well-mannered and matured. You need to make sure they lead a fruitful life and not one that is worthless.

There is another sect of children that aren’t like this. They are the truly intelligent type but are often neglected. They are not like me, who revel in the independence and seclusion but instead feel that they are forced into it. They want love and care but instead the parents distance themselves from them and do not take too close a look on their lives or thoughts. I am talking about the children that murder, oftentimes their very own parents who gave them life. Take this article for example. Seriously, this is the example of prime neglect. You need to sit down with your children and examine them closely. You need to figure out if anything is wrong with them mentally and if so send them to therapy. This would never have happened had the girl’s parents been more considerate.

It is my generation that will eventually be in control of this world, and then the generations after us. It scares me to think that so many of my generation in the western world have devolved into such moronic buffoons and it shames me to think that this is what western society, and possibly the society in every other developed country, is coming to.