Prax... I've read a lot about the kinds of kids who end up hurting other kids, who grow up to be violent, and trust me, they're more often than not kids who were beaten at home. The lack of a smack on the ass, or physical punishment, isn't the issue. Just because we have laws and rules saying that kids shouldn't get more than spankings, doesn't mean kids don't get more. Trust me.
Fair enough, however I wasn't just talking about getting a smack as a form of dicipline. In the example of the father who was struck down by the courts and his own daughter.... in cases where non-physical punishment is still too much and kids can goto courts to force their parents to do what they want to do.... exactly how can one expect children to hold any respect towards parenting?
And I'm not generalizing all parents or all children, I am focusing on the children who commit these sorts of crimes.
In this father's case, he can't even make a decision where his daughter can go on a useless trip she didn't even diserve... it was made for him. This form of punishment wasn't going to kill her, or harm her in anyway.... perhaps it might have harmed her popularity or something. And when the courts revoke your own decision as a parent, what is he supposed to do? How is he supposed to be respected by his daughter now? What are the options left to his disposal?
What about the worse situation where the child is violent, doesn't respect his/her parents let alone respects anybody else in the community? What do you do when they're so out of control that the parents are in fear of their own child?
I ask these questions because yes.... I don't have a kid of my own, that's why I have these questions... that's why I have these concerns.... that's why I get pissy when these sorts of things continually happen.... and that is why I ask questions and make comments.
To understand.
I mean, besides removal of their games, tv, or cell phone privilages, or making them goto bed earlier.... if none of that works, all I can see that a parent can do is hang them off a bridge or send them to boot camp without resorting to physical punishment.
And I say this as one of those kids who used to test the systems, know my limits, see what I could get away with, and most of the
"No TV, no Video Games" stuff never worked on me..... so my father would come home and strike the fear of God in me and my brother/sister so we wouldn't do what we did again.
But I was never one to go around and beat up other kids, I never treated other kids like scum. Even when another kid would pick a fight with me, I'd never fight back, because I always figured I'd get in even more crap then before.
Heck, even when I told my father about these times, he told me I had his permission to put the boots to them and make them hurt. Make one example out of one kid and the rest will leave you alone....... and yet, I still never did, because that was never me.
Of course now looking back, I wish I did unload a few fists and put some thugs to the ground, but I didn't.
I didn't, because I knew what would happen once I started..... I wouldn't stop.
So as someone actually asking other's opinions.... what would you guys do, as parents, if you have a child who was commiting crimes such as the ones listed above?
And I ask, because quite frankly, as with others where I live of my age.... we're all wondering what's the point? What's the point in raising a kids in an environment where they'll be going to school with people like this.... people much worse then what I went through in school? Where even dicipline that sounds reasonable, isn't reasonable.