A respected author of books on child rearing comments: “Though they don’t always show it and probably won’t thank you at that moment, children really do want parents to provide safe, predictable structure in their lives. We can do that by being an authoritative parent who sets limits on behavior.”

Parents magazine noted: “Studies . . . have found that children brought up by loving but authoritative parents​—those who are supportive of their children yet maintain firm limits—​excel academically, develop better social skills, feel good about themselves, and are happier overall than kids whose parents are either too lenient or excessively harsh.”