Whenever you 'tell' your child to do something with the 'because I told you so, that's why' tone, you're modelling authoritarianism.
Yes, you do have authority, legally and morally of course. But the great challenge of parenting is to maintain respect for your children as ultimately being a partner in your house.
If you help your child identify an inner motivation- to discover the love for order naturally within every child- you are teaching a principle- like the principle of orderliness, or consideration for others (Essentially all principles are based on Love if you get right down to it).
Why model the status quo for children? Because it's the easy thing to do. It takes more thought and effort to break that mold. So much of our culture is based on being a good follower or yes-persons. Kids are taught to toe the line or else they will be punished. Is this the kind of world we want to perpetuate? I sure don't!
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