As summer comes to an end, students all around school start to hear that word again: curfews. For some that means having to be home by 10 p.m., but for those lucky few, it’s midnight. Curfews are parents’ way of controlling what their kids do. But do all kids need to be controlled?

When teens are out late, the first thing parents think is that they must be up to no good. And let’s face it, some of us aren’t. Those that choose to get involved in harmful activities should have a curfew. If parents know their kid is drinking or doing drugs, then they have a reason to give them a curfew.

But when your parents’ reasoning for curfews are because they want you to clean your room or get a good night’s sleep, it doesn’t seem fair. Parents should trust that their kids are making good choices and doing what they say they are doing.

Having your parents telling you what to do all the time gets pretty annoying. We are more likely to get in trouble when parents aren’t around if we don’t ever get to go out. Having later curfews doesn’t always mean teens are getting into trouble.

Those that do have early curfews might have reasons to argue it. If your curfew is early because you’ve been getting in trouble or have bad grades, then you have no room to argue. But if your parents want you home early just to be home early, then go ahead and argue. Just make so you do so in a polite manner.

Whatever reasoning your parents give you on why your curfew is early, think before arguing about it. There’s no point in getting grounded and not going out at all. Then again bugging them till they give in sometimes does the trick.