For many years, I felt like my parents were too strict with me. To give you a little background, I am the product of a teen pregnancy. My parents were highschool juniors when they got married, and seniors when I was born.
The stereotype ends there. My parents worked very hard. Six years later we were sealed in the temple (along with JP), my dad graduated college, my mom was able to be at home much of the time, they eventually had a total of 5 kids: 3 daughters and then 2 sons (all of them I am quite fond of). My parents are in love and have been married for 30+ years.
I attribute their strictness to their youthful start. They were quite fussy about modesty. Some of the music I chose would be vetoed by dad. Imagine not letting your 10-year-old daughter listen to "Like a Virgin". They always kept close tabs on where I was, who I was with, etc. They were extremely particular about the movies I watched. I remember 2 different slumber parties at my house when my dad came flying across the room to shut off the VCR in disapproval.
Nevertheless, I always felt, even into adulthood, that a few of those forbidden movies could have shown me the ropes if I had seen them at an earlier age. 'Stand By Me' or 'St. Elmo's Fire', classic 80's movies that I eventually saw, but maybe could have benefited from had I seen them sooner. 'Breakfast Club' to name another. (Note: I was no saint: I saw many movies that I soooo shouldn't have).
I was lamenting about this late in my 20's to a former boss of mine, a very worldly man. I don't know if he grasped how strong his words were or that I really grabbed hold when he said "But Jessica, if you are the outcome of that strict upbringing, what's so wrong with that?"
My parents, though not perfect, picked their battles well (most of the time).
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