Hi Richard,
What should be the appropriate time to go to bed? It has been an issue in our family for quite a long time. Should it be an individual choice? Are there any general principles on this?
Last Friday night, (Technically speaking, it is Saturday morning at 1:30 am) both David and you had no sign of sleeping. It was not due to any urgent homework requiring completion. It was not due to any other things but appeared to me that you just liked to stay late at night. Both of you would have to go to the Chinese school the next day. It became a conflict when I tried to discipline both of you to sleep.
On the next day after school, we discussed the issue during our drive to McDonald. Your arguments of staying late at night included:
1. It is an individual freedom as long as others are not affected.
2. Most of your friends sleep late. Why couldn't you?
3. Late sleeping affects health. This does not apply to you as every human body is different.
4. It is not your Dad business as long as you could wake up promptly for school.
You insisted very strongly that you were going to keep this habit.
Since we did not accept each other idea, I cancelled my plan to lunch with you. I wanted to show you that this was a serious issue, an issue for both me and you. We must have it addressed and resolved. Regardless that who is right or who is wrong, let¡¦s accept that this issue is now hurting our family and our relationship.
A few years ago, I attended a seminar at your school. The seminar described how a teenager's brain worked. The speaker told us that an adult brain would generate a chemical to make one sleep when one got tired. However, the teenager's brain does not have this chemical. This explained why a teenager could stay up all night not feeling a bit of tiring. It is dangerous because their body could be seriously damaged before seeing any sign of it.
Richard, I agree with you that this is an individual choice, but the consequences of your choice not only affect you but also your parents. If your body gets problem, who will take care of you days and nights? More importantly, who will be the heart-breaking one?
Richard, see if you could give a thought on my words. Do some research on late sleeping and then make a good judgment on this issue.
With love, Patrick