Kids need structure more than warmth from their parents, according to a top child psychologist

That contradicts many of the messages parents are sent through popular culture and parenting guides. But Damour, who also writes for the New York Times, said studies prove it out. Children who are raised in a stern, business-like way may be less happy as adults, but they’ll have the tools they need to function. Children raised without discipline or rules can be stunted and ill-equipped for adulthood.

The worst outcomes come when children are raised without either, and they run the risk of delinquency, she said. It’s far better to make sure children have both. “They need to feel loved, and they need to know the rules,” she said. “That’s your job” as parents.

Adolescents actually want structure from their parents, despite their protestations to the contrary. Permissiveness and inconsistency from parents can be unsettling and provoke anxiety, she said.

“Being a teenager feels like you’re out of control and you’re surrounded by people who are out of control,” she said. “You don’t want parents to be out of control.”

Damour—the mother of her own teenage daughter—says she gives parents few hard-and-fast rules in her practice. But she does offer some advice on how to raise teens:

• Frame rules around safety. Kids are more apt to follow guidelines if they understand the rules’ purpose is to keep them safe. Insisting they obey for reasons of morality or hierarchy (eg “because I’m your father!”) is more likely to backfire.
• Don’t underestimate the power of apologizing. It tells teenagers they’re respected, and it helps builds trust.
• Stress is normal part of growing up, and it helps teens grow and become resilient. It becomes a problem when they have no downtime, or opportunities to relax.
• Technology should be introduced to kids as late as possible, and be kept out of their bedrooms. Videogames, social media and the internet demand their attention—which makes technology the enemy of the sleep which is critical for teens’ health, Damour said. “You may lose the battle, but I’d rather you lose the battle with a 17-year old than a 13-year old.”

Ultimately, she said, parents are the best judge of what’s best for their children. “There’s a million ways to get this right.”