Here are some reasons why I believe some parents don't parent with authority:

1. They don't want their kids to be unhappy (or as unhappy as they are).

2. They have to deal with unhappy people all day at work so they don't want to come home to an unhappy child as well.

3. They have been stressed all day because they are working away from home and then have to work at home and will deal with the consequences later. They just need peace at the moment.

4. They have guilt because they know they should be raising their own children instead of farming them out to others so they do what they need to do to get the reaction that their kids still love them.

5. It's too hard. This is especially true of parents who haven't been raising their own kids (both parents working) and haven't gotten to see firsthand how being the authoritative parent (with love) actually makes it easier.

6. Some just don't have time as they are too caught up in their own lives.

I have to stop. It is so depressing thinking of kids living like this...

Liisa