Parenting Isn't About Being Right: the Myth of One Right Way

We have all been through that one unforgettable, confusing, chaotic phase of life—teenage. And whether we admit it or not, one of the biggest parts of that age is clashing with our parents. The opinions don’t match, the logic never aligns, and let’s not even talk about that “you’ll understand when you grow up” line.

But trust me—if you’ve ever argued with your parents or stood your ground and then felt guilty...please don’t.

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Is feeling guilty a solution to it?

You’re not alone. I’ve met people who come up to me saying, “I feel so guilty for arguing with my parents”. And I always tell them—“Don’t feel guilty—feel sorry if you must, but not guilty.”

Because guilt? That thing just messes with your head. It doesn’t solve anything. It just sits there, making things worse.

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Arguments Aren’t Always Bad

Honestly, I feel like arguments are kind of necessary in life. Not the loud, toxic kind, but the type where you stop yourself from being overlooked or shut down. And let’s be real, where do we first learn to argue?

At home. First with siblings (which is like a daily match), then friends, and eventually… our parents.

And you know what? That’s not a bad thing.

Let me explain. Picture this:

You’re in school or college or work—or even just chilling at a party. There’s always that one person who just... dominates. Talks over people.

Bullies the quieter ones. And in that moment, if you don’t speak up? You lose a bit of yourself.

This is where arguing helps.

Because you need to speak. You need to stand for what you believe. And to do that, you need to feel allowed to speak, even if it makes others uncomfortable.

That’s what arguing gives you—a voice.

Of course, not every argument is meaningful. You still need to make sense. But still—don’t silence yourself just to keep peace.

The “One Right Way” Pressure

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Okay, let’s talk about this. Because this one drives me nuts sometimes.

Parents almost always want things done their way. They really believe there’s one “right” way to do things, and that’s it.

But… who said there’s only one right way?

Like genuinely—who decided that? I asked once, and the only answer I got was, “Society”. I mean... what does that even mean? And before I could even question it more, the whole thing got dismissed: “Stop arguing. This is why we don’t talk to you properly.”

And the best part? Right after that, they’ll say—“You should talk to us about everything. We’re here for you.”

But how?! When even having an opinion is taken as disrespect, how do you expect us to open up about real stuff? I know you’ll help me find a solution—but I also know you’ll snap, maybe even throw it back at me later.

That’s the tough part. You want to trust them, but you don’t feel safe enough to be fully seen.

A Small Story That Opened My Eyes

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Let me just share a small story—nothing deep or preachy, but something real that stuck with me.

So, there was a time when I randomly developed this habit of drinking water every 10 minutes. Like… I didn’t even feel super thirsty. Just felt like taking a sip.

Obviously, my parents got concerned. They started telling me it’s unhealthy, it’s not normal, blah blah. At first, I thought okay, maybe they’re right. So I didn’t say much.

But while the conversation was happening, I got curious. Googled it. Even asked ChatGPT.And guess what? Turns out, yeah—drinking too much water isn’t ideal, but there are way more pros than cons if you’re not overdoing it.

So I shared that. I literally just said what I found. And boom—snap.

“This is not the correct way.” "You always want to do things differently.”

And I just stood there thinking—Wow. So we’re back to this again.

That moment made me think how deep this whole “correct way” mindset runs. It’s not even about health or logic anymore—it’s just about habit. About what they’ve been taught is “right” without ever questioning it.

Are Parents Right or Wrong?

Look, I’ve thought about this a lot. And the truth is—I really don’t blame our parents.

They weren’t raised like us. They didn’t grow up with Google, Instagram, mental health awareness, or podcasts telling them about emotional maturity. They were raised to follow rules, not challenge them.

So when they pass that mindset to us—they’re not being bad parents. They’re just doing what they were taught.

This is where the generation gap becomes super real. And honestly, I get it. I do.

Let’s Not Make This a Battle

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This isn’t about proving who’s right. It’s not about calling parents wrong. It’s just about one thing:

Being a parent shouldn’t mean being right all the time. And being a teenager or young adult doesn’t mean your voice isn’t valid.

Sometimes, we just want a conversation, not a lecture. A moment of trust—not a rulebook.

There’s no single “correct” way to do everything. Life is not a math problem with one right answer. It’s messy, emotional, unpredictable. And that’s okay.

So maybe… it’s time we stop trying to be “right” among ourselves and start trying to understand each other instead. The myth of One right way should be busted to overcome the distance between them.