Strict Parenting

It is a wierd emotional phenomenon when you can finally appreciate and accept your parents for every aspect of who they are. Growing up, my parents were the strict ones, the sticlers, the almost scary ones. Sometimes my friends would tell me they were scared of my mom or dad because they knew they weren't lenient. When I was getting older, there were times when I hated my parents. I would curse at them, lie to them, and could not understand them. They usually tried to explain their reasons for my punishment, rules, curfew, etc. but I couldn't accept them.
It is the wierdest feeling looking back to my adolescence and realizing that they are exactly the type of parents that I will strive to become and the parent I will become. I was allowed enough freedom to grow and experience life, but still had rules and restrictions that were appropriate for my maturity level. They knew exactly what type of person I was. I had strong character, addictive personality, and a dare devil mentality. The boundaries they set for me were exactly what I needed. Hopefully I will be a mother one day. If I am struggling, deciding how to handle or raise my child, the first people I will resort to for advice are my parents.
I was so lucky to have such strong, good parents who had, for the most part, the same beliefs for raising children. The majority of families aren't that lucky.