My parents were really strick about what I was allowed to watch and be exposed to as a child. No R rated movies, video games, or anything violent. I was also expected to tell my parents where I was 24/7. As long as I didnt lie they trusted me. They kept pretty got tabs on me until I was 19.

On the other hand my husbands parents didnt pay much attention to him. He was never restricted on what he was exposed to and his parents had no idea what he was doing for the age of 12 on.. Pretty much explains him being a drug addict and dropped out of school after 9th grade.

I firmly believe that there are things you learn from your parents teachings and things that you decide on your own, but they all go back to how you were raised yourself.

I've never said it before but I just love name Harlow! I'm so jealous of the fact that in English are so many great names not like in my native language ;)

I think your and Nicole's story show that it can go both ways. Nicole says she was raised very strict like you but she still ended up a drug addict.

My children will be raised similar to how I was raised; not too strict but not too free either. I would like to encourage them more in their talents or desires.

Gee...this admission from Nicole is making me re-think my desire to be REALLY strict!

I always said I never wanted to raise my kids the way I was raised. Nothing wrong with the way I was raised. I love my parents and still get along with them very well. I also think that I turned out pretty well. But there were things they did and rules they had that I always said I wouldn't impose on my children. Now, I am finding myself a carbon copy of my parents. Everything I said I wouldn't do, I am. Although I think that I am even more protective of my kids.

Funny how that works out.

If Nicole became a Heroin user and abused alcohol after being raised by "very, very strict" parents, then I hate to see how Harlow will turn out with "easy-going" Nicole as a mother! I don't think Nicole's parents are completely to blame for her wild ways, so hopefully grandma will have some influence on Harlow's upbringing!

I would love Nicole to clarify what 'very very strict' means. I think we all have different meanings and I would think even more so for the young hollywood crowd.

Nicole's talked about her parents being very strict in an issue of UK Marie Claire Magazine.
The gist is that they never let her go anywhere without a "guardian" i guess more like a bodyguard. so whether its a sleepover with friends or school trips, she always had to have a guardian with her.
So whenever she could sneek out of the house, she would over indulge in her freedom and go really crazy. Also, Nicole parents were not really hands on. she was raised by nannies. She spoke about that on GMA and Oprah. Brenda was with Lionel touring most of her childhood and in her teens when they divorced. she was shuffling between houses and always had to have a guardian.

Anyways, i think Nicole drug issues have more to do with her parents divorcing, and her dad starting a new family...her being adopted and her parents not really being around

I think my parents did a good job raising me, and I hope I could do the same thing for my kids.