“It’s not mean to say no or demand responsibility,” says Madrid. “A lot of parents seem to think that ‘forcing’ your kid to work for things is cruel, when in fact the opposite is true. Self-esteem and self-sufficiency come from learning to work hard for what you want.”
This is a lesson Sykes says she has learned the hard way. After seeing what overindulgence had done to Nia, Sykes decided to take away everything except the most basic necessities.
Now, she says, if Nia wants something special, she has to work for it.
