I used to complain about having curfew, rules, and boundaries but as I look back I thank my parents for that guidance because it made me more disciplined and appreciative.

Most kids grew up with a tv in their room, but not me. It was all electronics off by 9 p.m. My parents never let me stay out in till whatever time. I had a curfew, and if my butt wasn't in the house before the clock struck, boy was I in trouble. To this day, I'm 19 years old and I can't come in the house after 1 a.m. LATEST.

I was raised to never quit anything you start. I hated going to chorus practice and camps but I was never allowed to just drop it. I had to sit there and fake a smile until it was over. I didn't notice how this molded me into the hard working individual that I am until I find myself pushing through any task even when it's extremely difficult.

If I did something wrong, I was spanked, forced to wash my mouth with soap, and put in time out. There was no such thing as "letting it go without punishment." My homework had to be done right after I got home from school, that way I didn't have to worry about it later. If I failed a test, I would try to hide it from my parents because I knew they would make me study extra hours to prepare for the next test. And god forbid I forgot a book at school, I was put on blast by all my teachers the next day.

My brother and I loved to play fight. Sometimes, one of us ended up with battle wounds. My mother's famous line was "Just wait till your father gets home." Those 7 words used to scare me to the point I would hide under beds to avoid my fate. My parents never swept anything under the rug. If I messed up, then everyone we knew, knew about it. And it was the best lesson I've ever learned.

Amongst all the rules and punishment, I realize now that I'm older, all these things grounded me to a stable and healthy life. I know how to prioritize my time, how to discipline myself and how to get things done efficiently while never giving up.

I see too many children playing on iPads at such a young age and strolling around the world with the freedom to do whatever they want without discipline, that I really took for granted how well I was raised.

That being said, my parents taught me that everything you do in life you do it 110%. They always push me to be my very best. I thank my parents for their strict ways because I am a self-confident individual who has all the attributes to be a successful adult. So thank you, mom and dad, for getting me ahead of the game and for sometimes being even too strict... you have molded me into one tough, hard working cookie.