Should parents be 'easier' and softer on a teen with learning disability or mental disorder?

It depends on the circumstances. Is this being easier directly related to the learning difficulty or is this some other area related to discipline? All children (and adults for that matter) need to learn how to function within normal acceptable limits for society, that are socially acceptable. If someone is clearly being disobedient or acting in a way that might harm them, then there might be a call for so called "harsh" action. This is such a grey area, that each individual case needs to be treated on its own merits.

They need a little leeway depending on the disability but you don't want to coddle them too much to the point where they become brats.

I have Dyslexia, only that didn't exist when I started school, so I had to keep up of get lost along the way. I am also clinically depressed and again no one made excuses for me. Do I think that screaming at a child like I was is appropriate - NO - its not appropriate to scream at any child. Is it ok to stop making excuses for learning disabilities - You better well believe it, I have a 140+ IQ and learned to adjust to what was expected of me was it easy no, did I complete college - Yep with a 3.75 GPA. Has my depression been a major problem Yes. There is a little donkey that is a friend of a phoo bear that is my hero, because he just keeps on keeping on. Do I take medication, yes and once the doctors figured it wasn't bio-polar and I got the correct meds, life was ok. I truly believe that we have created names for every bit of bad, inappropriate and unacceptable behavior and made excuses for people to the point that anyone with a hangnail can claim some sort of disability. Do I believe people with significant mental or physical impairments should be cared for in a kind and gentle as possible manner yes, but I see to many making the excuse I am depressed, or I have ADD instead of working harder to make something of themselves. Or worse yet taking enough drugs to kill an elephant and expecting society to take care of them. This may seem harsh, but I've lived through the total loss of disipline of young people and the making excuses for everything.

Harder. Don't let them even think of using a disability as an excuse.

i think people make distinctions between mental disorders and learning disabilities. like other people who responded to this question has said it depends on age and understanding and the specific situation.

Absolutely not. Parents in general are way too soft these days. They are afraid to offend their special "snowflakes". It's disgusting. By not disciplining their kids, parents are instilling an unhealthy sense of self-entitlement in their kids, which can have dire consequences in the long run. Look at all the people who over-extended themselves and lost their houses in the past few years as proof of that. My parents had no qualms about about slapping me around whenever I acted up. They knew I had some learning disabilities, but they never let me use that as an excuse for anything. I think I'm a better person for it. I fully agree with Research and JD; making excuses doens't get anything done.

easier. My mom was always yelling at my brother and he became worse with anxiety and depression. I mean COME ON people with disabilities cant control what they do or say. Why yell at them when they never got the education to learn not to do wrong things?

No but the parent should be more loving, caring, and understanding of the child. Otherwise, the child would think that the parent does not care what happens to him/ her. I'm saying this as someone who did have a learning disability and had parents that were tough during the times that it was not warranted but did not want to be bothered with me during the times when I did need them. Yes, my family did view me as an embarrassment (I think they still do just because of their actions around me) solely because of my disability and nothing else.

No way! It is harder for you to accomplish these things, so you need to study harder/more! Be happy they want you to learn and are not trying to make you fail school.