YOU say you're old enough to stay out late on weekends. They say you have to be home early. You say you want to see that new movie everybody is talking about. They say you can't see it. You say you've met some nice kids you'd like to go out with. They say they'd like to meet your friends first. When you're a teenager it can sometimes feel as if your parents have a choke hold on your life. It seems that every "I want to" you say is followed by an inevitable No, you can't. Nor is any part of your life safe from the on looking eyes of your parents. Do they have to know everything? They should give you more freedom.
             Do your parents sometimes treat you like a small child? If so, remember that not too long ago you really were a child. Your parents' image of you as a helpless infant is quite fresh in their minds and not so easily set aside. They still remember the childish mistakes you used to make and thus want to protect you-whether you want such protection or not.
             That urge to protect you is a powerfully strong one. When Mom and Dad aren't busy putting a roof over your head, clothing you, or feeding you, they are often grappling with the problems of how to teach, train, and protect you. Their interest in you is far from casual. They are responsible for the way in which they bring you up. And when something seems to threaten your well-being, they worry.
             Some teens say that their parents' fear of harm coming to them is paranoid. But remember, much time and emotion have been invested in you. The thought of you growing up and eventually leaving may disturb your parents. Some parents thus tend to smother or to overprotect their children. It would be a real mistake, though, for you o overreact in turn. A measure of independence is fine, but don't obtain it at the cost of your family ties. How can you set your relationship with your parents on a more adult footing, based on...