Comments on: Are kids getting worse?

By: naomi briggs

naomi briggs — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:43:34 +0000

i think that kids are getting really bad because they are getting away with it

By: CanadianMom

CanadianMom — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:53:02 +0000

A little fear wouldn’t hurt today’s kids. I feared my mother, my teachers, and the police as a kid, and I turned out to be a law-abiding, respectful adult. Nothin’ wrong with that.

By: CanadianMom

CanadianMom — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:49:01 +0000

I personally was spanked as a child, but not anywhere near regularly. I didn’t need it to be regular. I was ’spoken to’ for step 1 behaviour, ‘grounded’ for step 2 behaviour, and spanked for harming living things and breaking the law.
What I’m trying to say is there are certain acts that require spankings, (like the time my 2 year old tried to ride his bike down the stairs), and some acts only require time-outs.(Like snatching a toy from his little brother). Talking back is barely an issue, it only merits ‘the look’.
My oldest is now 5, he has been spanked, and will probably be spanked sometime else in his childhood. But he sure as heck won’t ride his bike down the stairs. And that, to me, is good discipline.

By: Gayla McCord

Gayla McCord — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:50:49 +0000

Thanks for taking the time to explain things for me Kadi — and to Anonymous Teen — I do believe there are different methods of punishing children. I am all for starting off with the more lenient approach and if that works, Great! If not, keep upping the ante until you find the perfect antidote for the crime.

By: Around the Channel (N-Z) (1-17-08)

Around the Channel (N-Z) (1-17-08) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:19:06 +0000

[...] Gayla asks whether kids are getting worse, at Supernanny Rules. What do you [...]

By: AnonymousTeen

AnonymousTeen — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:15:07 +0000

Dear Kadi,
Thank you for responding to my post and clearing things up for me! I clearly took the blog entries the wrong way. I agree with what Gayla said about some teens being out of control these days and that parents shouldn’t try to be their kids friends. I’ve seen the results of lenient parenting up close at my school and it isn’t pretty!

By: Kadi Prescott

Kadi Prescott — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:32:03 +0000

Dear Anonymous Teen,
I think that you have taken the notion of physical punishment out of context. Gayla never said that physical punishment should be the only form of punishment, used on every type of child. What she was saying is that it should not be totally discounted as an option. Spanking is a tool that, when used properly, and for the right reasons on a child who responds well to that type of discipline, can be an effective parenting tool. Spanking is a tool that, when applied by a calm parent in a controlled situation, should not inflict bodily HARM, as you have implied. It should only serve as a uncomfortable reminder. I’m sure we have all felt uncomfortable with a punishment we have received, whether it be a spanking or having a privilege taken away. The discomfort should serve as a reminder. Like Pavlov and his dogs, but in a reverse sense. A child thinks of the last time he/she made a bad choice and associates it with the discomfort of being spanked. It is a simple cause and effect tool. It is not meant to be brutal or barbaric in nature. Of course, some parents take it too far and let their emotions take control of the situation. Older children and teens should not need to be physically disciplined if their parents did a proper job of instilling the cause and effect notion earlier in life. I hope that helps to clear up any misconceptions and I applaud you on being a teen that makes good choices!

By: AnonymousTeen

AnonymousTeen — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:08:28 +0000

I’ve been reading this blog for a long time and lately it seems you have been advocating rather harsh physical punishment. I am respectful towards my parents and peers but I’ve never needed the threat of bodily harm to do so. I don’t think paddling students is the way to go because some of us don’t respond well to physical punishment.

By: BMS

BMS — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:57:02 +0000

I don’t think kids are getting worse, per se, but I believe the really bad kids get a lot of media attention, whereas the Eagle Scouts and ordinary kids who work after school jobs to save for college are ignored. Personally, we just don’t watch TV and rarely read the paper. No media exposure – no annoying media overexposure.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:27:06 +0000

Jen, Kids are going to push mommy more than anybody else no matter what their routine (I say this as one of those former slave wage daycare workers who went to school for 3 years). My own children were well behaved for my co-workers, but for me they like to push it (even with our well established routine). I enjoy staying at home, but my kids run a muck once in a while, too. I think every parent has to pick wether they want to be at home or at work (and nobody has a right to tell you what is better). I enjoy being able to use my education to enrich my childrens’ lives, but my best friend finds she is the best mom she can be when she gets a 40 or 50 hour a week break from her kids. She can come home and realy enjoy the time with her kids. It’s all about quality, not quantity. If you’re a better parent when you work outside of the home then that’s what’s best for your kids and you. And you are so right about these psudo-celebrities being above the law; it is a crazy world.