I am here to briefly share a recent occurence that has me even more exasberated about the anger levels in our youth. I read about it in the papers and now I have my own family example to share.

The other night on leaving a party alone (alone a mistake), my unprovoked son snotted one of five trying to take out 'something on someone' for kicks. Hence, the punch on the nose lead to my son being chased 10 blocks, with glass welding youth as at least one weapon and as young as 15 years old on his tail. My son is 20.

My son jumped fences in properties to hide, called the police, who an hour later turned up to where my son's car was busy being smashed up. Caught red handed; busted in action with my son safe at least.

I was horrified to learn of the terrifying experience for my son.

More the level of anger in the young people of today. The 'set to kill' anger that isn't going to abate without masses of energy release on someone of something. Of course the grog and weed are a big part of the picture.

What are we going to do about the youth. I feel parents have to be an example. Where parents have done the job 'right', the rest of the kids are out there exposed and at risk of their lives. Big sigh.

Glad I was a kid of the 70s.

CAKERS... let's ask a different question:

"What is different 'these days' regarding discipline..and the instillment of respect" ?

I can give an answer.. and some people might like to have some fun at my expense over it..but here it is..

SPARE THE ROD..SPOIL THE CHILD.

Which of course is a rather colorful way of saying 'enforce boundaries, use strict discipline'

But trendy psyho-fascists have told us idiotic stuff like 'its all about repressed sexual frustration' etc...or some other gobbldygook.

I've watched it all happen.. from my teenage years in the 60s at tech school.. where "6 of the best" was a very real deterrant, to now..

'you should respect others desire to study and not do anything to hinder them'

at which point I roll around the floor in uproarious and uncontrolled laughter.

yeah...RIGHT.. as IF some pshycho dimwit who has no social conscience is going to follow such quaint ideas ?

Nope.. but I'll guarantee the thought of 6 of the best from "Mr Lee" (at Assy Tech) would have made him think twice about bailing up young Johnny in the coridores and thieving his lunch money or whatever.

Cakers.. our society has 'pulled the plug' on our spiritual life support mate.. we have gone from 'terminally ill'...to 'switch off the life support'....and now we are paying the price.

Young people are told 'be nice' but they are not given any UTLIMATE reason to do so... its all about 'treating others well'..... and while that is a noble sentiment.. it has no firm foundation when our education system has exiled God to the gulag of philosophical irrelevance.

To answer 'where' will it stop ? Mate.. unless we have national repentance..it wont.

OKAY,

I wasn't expecting or wanting the religious angle but anyway, it is said. Boaz, your views are however accepted ;) We are in common with the spare the rod/spoil the child.

There amount of leniency provided many young people has us in despair. You read how punishments ARE NOT fitting the crime. Years ago a kid threw a stone at another and it was the mother of the stone thrower more upset for getting her little Johnnie into trouble.

The law is inconsistent and pathetic as well. A smack on the hand and never will it be literal one. Enough pain isn't felt to make the young person know that "NO" means "NO".

Consequences. It is all about 'do the crime and do the time', if you know what I mean. In my day, a mere breaking of a window even by accident meant you still did extra chores to work off something of the debt. Always achievable and never unreasonable but learning that for whatever happens, there will be consequence. Sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Thank goodness I taught my now two adult children about consequences. They respect others but by god it isn't always returned. Of course we can only teach and try to instill right from wrong. Teach a child in the way they should go and they will not depart from it. Is that the saying. I rely that the foundation I provided will stand my two young people in good stead.

Now in the 'big wide world' one just want them to be happy, thrive, study and work without fear of their lives! Can't guarantee safety.

In this day and age, you can have a totally clean nose and still die.
When will parents do their job properly. Isn't lack of religion.

Is the teaching of life skills and respect for those in authority.
Most of all 'for every action there is a reaction'. What reaction are our young people seeking most. I say attention!! Much of it we read is bad :(

While I dare say we're agreed discipline is important and it's been getting pretty weak lately, that doesn't mean to say corporal punishment's the answer.

I was always a pretty well behaved kid and my parents never used to need to resort to those tactics.

I think it was more the fact that they stuck to their guns on what punishments they did hand out. If I did something wrong it was given no television for a week, they damn well meant it. Same for food treats when I was but a toddler, groundings etc.

More importantly, no amount of pleading and carrying on would dissuade them - I think this is the key here. Parents need to stick to their decisions even when it means putting up with quite a lot.
I suspect far too many parents are often exhausted and tired, so when their kids start nagging they give in, which ultimately leads to more nagging.

As for the thread topic - yes, I think a lot of this is the result of lax parenting. It's harsh but true.

For my two bob, I tend to think the key issue is parent involvement - teaching a child isn't the sole responsibility of teachers, and far too many parents palm their child's education off onto them.
Well educated kids generally make fewer problems, and you've got to start educating them while they're young.

I think if parents read to their kids and teach them basic maths and instill an appreciation for learning before they even get to school, while ultimately have better behaved children who don't resort to this kind of behaviour.

Before trying to determine causes, what are the actual statistics backing up any claim that today's youth are more angry, violent and less well behaved than those of 20, or 30 or 50 years ago?
Adults have been bemoaning the ever increasing delinquency of youths for centuries, but I suspect that's at least partly because as adults, memories of your own behaviour, and those of your peers as a youth, are unconsciously filtered and biased. You could instead be thankful that we no longer live in the 19th century, when children were to be seen and not heard, and by 16 were expected to move directly into adulthood, working 12 hour days and never questioning authority, no matter how unfair or corrupt it was.

If there was a generation that went through a period of overly liberal parenting I would think it would be children growing up in the '60s - and there's no strong indication to me that that generation are particularly angrier, more violent or otherwise poorly behaved. I suspect people overestimate the degree to which parenting behaviour changes with the changing social attitudes, and even the extent to which it influences what sort of adults we turn out to be: I personally embrace liberal and progressive ideals, but as a parent I've very quickly found the need to set boundaries with my own child, and haven't shied away from the occasional firm slap on the wrist. And the evidence seems to be that the biggest environmental influence on the sort of adult he will grow up to be will be his peers and associates - hence choosing which school to send him to is arguably far more important than worrying about whether I'm exercising sufficient discipline or not.

The one thing I think we can say about today’s youths that is a genuinely new problem is lack of exercise and poor dietary habits, leading to obesity. I think it’s far more irresponsible for parents to allow children to eat poorly and spend most of their time on sedentary activities than to “spare the rod/spoil the child”.

Team...just for the record......

While I do believe in corporal punishment...that wasn't what I was particularly advocating.. the "Rod" is "discipline" and it can be painful at times.. whether it is a rod or a denial of something

I remember when 5 yr old kids (like me) would call every adult 'Mr' or "Miss"..or "Mrs" now ?

The fact of the existence of 'royal' language and langauge of kinship relationships.. (my wifes culture has many names which must be used when addressing each category of person) is.. evidence that respect is a vital part of a healthy society.

Lose that value..(and we have) and you are on the downward slide to moral and social and cultural ooooooblivion.

Oh..Cakers :) ALLLways expect or anticipate a 'spiritual angle' from me :)