So this thread has evolved...from one topic to many...

There is a common misconception running through here...and that is that if things are around, then kids will do them...

Nothing could be further from the truth...The kids take a certain amount of blame for everything that was posted here, but I also put more blame on the Parents, a child's NUMBER ONE ROLE MODEL.

Today's society is instant gratification. Careers, social life, 'having it all'...well, you need to devote time and patience into raising a child. It is not 'instant gratification'...Today if something is broken, we throw it away and buy a new thing...there is no 'fixing' of anything (well, except cars perhaps) and that viewpoint bleeds into everything in our lives...

Children need to be taught respect...but as parents or authority figures you have to earn it. The whole "do what I say, don't do what I do" thing doesn't work...

Just because anyone has a child, doesn't mean that the child is going to be a drug addict, rapist, alcoholic, messed-up-in-the-head kid. I believe that environment plays a HUGE role in that....I am adopted and I know there has been some traits that I have inherited from my biological parents, but the environmental factors eventually outweighed the genetic ones...the values and lessons that my parents taught me even today are invaluable.

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The Spankmeister Cometh.....

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.