[Doofy]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

When I was a kid just after the War it was quite common for kids to get a slap if they had done something wrong. The slaps could come from anyone but mainly from relatives and school teachers. The local bobbies were also inclined to give you a warning and a slap if they caught you misbehaving. All these slaps and the odd caning at school didn't turn me into a thug and didn't do me any physical damage, maybe a little mental damage. They taught you right from wrong and that the rights of everyone should be respected. They also taught you that if you did something wrong you were more than likely to be punished.

Todays children also know what's right and wrong but they also know that doing something wrong is unlikely to be punished. They know how far they can push things and many of them do push things to the limit. This attitude is taken into later life and many continue to push everything to the limit. For some it becomes a game where they try to show their superiority by going as far as they can without having to suffer the consequences of their actions. Once they get away with something they try to get away with something that is a bit more of a challenge and before you know it they are hardened criminals.

What punishment can you give kids today to make them see the error of their ways? Many parents don't dole out any punishment because they want an easy life for themselves. Having seen life over a longer period than most on here I would say that I would prefer the remedies that existed in my childhood to the ways that some today are advocating.

Everything i wanted to say and more.