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'Mike'[_4_] · 10-08-2011, 12:53 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

"Kay" wrote in message
...

On 10/08/2011 12:01, in article , "Sacha"
wrote:

I think what an experience such as Baz's shows us is that the softly
softly approach by politicians, who then instruct the police and the
judiciary, simply doesn't work. Back to the days of "if you can't do
the time, don't do the crime".

One-third of young men born in 1953 had acquired a conviction for a
relatively serious crime before the age of 30 (and we're not talking
driving
offences here). But two-thirds of convictions were acquired by the same 6%
of offenders.

So the trick is how to identify the 6% of the 30% and deal with them
effectively, and not take action that will turn the 94% into unemployable
ex-cons rather than useful contributing members of society..

As to what is done about youths who
kicked around, bored and so forth, I wish I had an answer. Youth Clubs
used to be a solution but no doubt these are now deeply uncool.

And those that exist are having their funding reduced.

But it seems to me that there are two answers to this, firstly,
parents should always know where thir children are, who they're with
and what time they are expected home. And secondly, children have to
learn their place on the 'ladder' - being 'bored' or whatever the
excuse is, does not give them the right to be a damned nuisance to
others.

It seems to me that worthy ideals of giving our children learning
opportunities, coupled with probably over-exaggerated fears of paedophilia
and rather more justified fears of traffic, has led to a generation which
has lost the ability to cope with boredom. Entertainment has to be
provided
by someone else.

Also, we have lost our tolerance for children. When I was being brought
up,
the accepted idea was that you did most things as a family, and children
were expected to behave quietly in other people's houses. Then we moved
into
an era when it became expected that children were not included in an
invitation, and you found a babysitter. So the need for children to behave
nicely lessened.

I'm talking about a return to
basic parenting where every family has to take responsibility for how
children are raised and for teaching them how to live within the wider
world without being a pain to everyone around them.

We are are more fragmented and mobile society - we no longer have the role
models. The first baby I ever held in my arms was my own. You can see all
around you that many people lack parenting skills - parents themselves
need
help.

""parents themselves need help.""

Parents themselves need help to stay together. Too many divorces and split
marriages.

Mike

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Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

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