[joglynne]

I can't speak from experience because our son never went off the rails but I don't believe that children are born bad.

IMO Children learn by example.

Parents have got to accept that it is no good letting their very young children get away with bad behaviour. A very young child who is brought up with no appreciation of what it means to have respect for other people will soon develop into the 5, 6, 10 year old who will not respect anyone whether it be their parents, teachers, or the Police.

The small child who is given every toy in the shop will soon begin to believe that it's his right to get everything that he wants when he wants it. Unless monetary values are taught, they will never be understood. If a child has never experienced the anticipation and satisfaction of owning an item,for which he has had to save at least a portion of its cost, then that child will never have any idea of the true worth of money.

A parent of an out of control child must at some point have seeded control to that child.

I don't know the solution to the problem of the out of control children who are plaguing our society to-day but I do believe that parents have got to get their acts together.