The Big Misconception About Accepting Your Child

A teenager announces plans to pursue a certain career. His parents think it's not the right fit. Should they try to change his mind?

Definitely not, according to Nancy Rose, author of "Raise the Child You’ve Got—Not the One You Want: Why Everyone Thrives When Parents Lead with Acceptance."

"Just because we as the parent feel that our child is not really qualified to do what they think they want to do at 16, squelching that is a disaster because what speaks to that child is what's going to light up that child in life," Rose said.

But that doesn't mean parents have to blindly accept anything their child wants to do, Rose explained to HuffPost Live's Nancy Redd.

"There's a misconception that accepting your child for who your child is means not giving any guidance, just being hands off, and nothing could be further from the truth," Rose said. "You can't just accept. You have to also be a leader, and it is a parent's job to teach the child how to be who they are -- exactly who they are -- but be effective in the world."

Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation about what makes a child successful here.