THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING

Parents as Primary Decision-Makers for Children

Historically, the rights of parents over children were grounded in the property rights of fathers; children were little more than paternal property, so fathers exercised nearly complete control, with few, if any, external limits. Today, several other reasons have emerged to explain why parents are considered the most appropriate decision-makers for their children. First, parents are responsible for the welfare of their children, and this implies not only the right, but the duty, for parents to make decisions on their child's behalf. Second, parents are the parties who live most closely with the consequences of their child-rearing decisions. Third, parents teach their children values and, as a consequence, it is highly likely that the child will have the value commitments that resemble those of their parents. Lastly, society gives moral weight to the maintenance of family life and recognizes the need to protect those relationships from outside interference unless grave harm is being done.

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