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Hmmm. Interesting topics about kids. I think it is very important to set limits and assert parental authority. I've sometimes said (only half jokingly) that I think part of my job is to give my kids something to rebel against. Does this make them second class citizens? If so, I can deal with it. But, I think there is a difference between not valuing their opinions and setting limits. Will we let our kids go on about what they did at school, or describe their latest idea? Sure. (My 3yo son is now very interested in having everybody in the family get a clarinet, since I have one... my daughter, now 6, used to ask how long it takes to go to Saturn and why we can't go there instead of the Poconos for our vacation). But that doesn't mean that things like bedtime or cleaning up are subject to family debate. I think what's hard (for kids and parents both) is to let the kids have free reign in some areas and not in other, and have everybody understand where the boundaries are.
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