Time for a pop quiz: Children need to be corrected every time they make a mistake. True or false?

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

[buzzing sound] False!

Kids mess up all the time. And when they’re young, it’s appropriate for parents to correct and inform them. But as they become adults, it’s better to take a step back and let their own choices, good or bad, speak for themselves.

Hey, I know how hard it is to stand on the sidelines while your teen makes a bad decision. But a day comes when they realize the values you instilled in them are like seeds in fresh soil.

Look at it this way: If you till the earth all the time, you’ll never get a harvest. At some point, you need to step back … and let the seeds you’ve sown grow.