Venting - way OT & alittle wordy....

[Python]

I watched a programme on television a few years back when the anti-spanking brigade were being very vociferous. Parents generally fell into two categories:

Quiet Reasoners

and

Quick Belters

(of course, nowadays we have a third category of parent - couldn't-care-lessers)

Anyway, when a child is under 5, they haven't got the reasoning capability, so Mum or Dad explaining why they shouldn't be doing what they're doing doesn't work. A child of that age doesn't have a good enough grasp of language to understand a fraction of what is being said to them.

On the other hand, a quick slap on the bottom gets the message across and there's no doubt what it means - that is not acceptable behaviour!

On the few times I smacked my kids, I always followed it up with why I'd smacked them, especially once they could understand. There is a whole world of difference between smacking a child because you love them and want them to be well-behaved and grow into good, decent adults and battering kids for the hell of it. Unfortunately, the "don't smack your kids brigade" can't tell the difference between the two.

I don't know what it's like in the States, but since parents and schools basically had the right to smack and discipline kids taken away from them, the crime rate amongst youngsters has rocketed. It doesn't take much working out why.

As a tailpiece, here's a little story.

My cat had 5 kittens, and as kittens do, as they got older, they got more boisterous. Mum Puss (Topsy) was sitting curled up contentedly infront of the fire. Meanwhile the kittens were having a funny half-hour, chasing each other, shredding my legs etc. They then decided it would be great fun to pounce on Mum. First she gave them a filthy look, stood up, turned round and settled down again. They carried on pouncing on her. Then she turned round very fast and hissed and growled at them. Four out of the five took the hint - Mum didn't want to be annoyed. Topsy curled back down again, but I could see she was irritated by the way the tip of her tail kept flicking. One of the kittens, Poppy decided to push her luck and pounced on Mum's tail. With a loud hiss and a growl, Topsy gave Poppy such a smack round the head that she rolled half way across the living-room. She took the hint after that and left Mum alone. A little later, Mum and kittens were all curled up together purring

We got good homes for four of the kittens and kept Poppy. She and her Mum go out exploring together and where you see one, you always find the other.

Even animals discipline their young.

[Trekhawk]

RESPECT
I think you need to teach this to children in the early years. Respect for other people, respect for others property, respect for the environment and respect for themselves.

All kids will play up at some time that is just life (Im not always well behaved myself and have been know to throw a hissy fit just ask my husband) but I do firmly believe you reap what you sow. If children understand from an early age what you expect from them life is much easier. I have friends who let their children jump up and down on the furniture, tear around the house , pull up plants from their garden and generally cause mayhem everywhere. Now this is ok at YOUR house but kids need to know the difference when they visit others. We dont jump on furniture at my house and my kids know this. They also know that mum loves gardening so they would never think its ok to pull out a plant in my garden because 1 its nature and 2 it would make mum very sad.

Kids I truly believe want to do the right thing, sometimes they are just lacking guidance.

Now as far as supermarkets go hmmm for most mums that one is fraught with danger.

Next time you see a mum looking stressed smile at her, sometimes its these little things that help mums get through a tough day.

[Python]

I remember when I was little, if we went visiting, my Mum used to hiss at us "Now you be on your best behaviour...or else!" Both my brother and I knew what the or else was. We behaved

[mimitabby]

As a tailpiece, here's a little story.

My cat had 5 kittens, and as kittens do, as they got older, they got more boisterous. Mum Puss (Topsy) was sitting curled up contentedly infront of the fire. Meanwhile the kittens were having a funny half-hour, chasing each other, shredding my legs etc. They then decided it would be great fun to pounce on Mum. First she gave them a filthy look, stood up, turned round and settled down again. They carried on pouncing on her. Then she turned round very fast and hissed and growled at them. Four out of the five took the hint - Mum didn't want to be annoyed. Topsy curled back down again, but I could see she was irritated by the way the tip of her tail kept flicking. One of the kittens, Poppy decided to push her luck and pounced on Mum's tail. With a loud hiss and a growl, Topsy gave Poppy such a smack round the head that she rolled half way across the living-room. She took the hint after that and left Mum alone. A little later, Mum and kittens were all curled up together purring

We got good homes for four of the kittens and kept Poppy. She and her Mum go out exploring together and where you see one, you always find the other.

Even animals discipline their young.

gosh, where were you when my cousin was doing her pathetic tender love thing with her monster children????