Kids do seem to think they are invincible...even my son goes on about ringing Childline sometimes when I'm having a pop at him. Never mind childline I tell him, it's parent line I need - I'm the one being abused!!! Nawwww seriously, he's OK
I think the biggest influences on our children (apart from parents) are computer games and the TV. All far too violent. It never used to be like this...
my DD too used to quote Childline at me - I used to say no, let me ring, I'm sure they could be persuaded to find you a good home!
I'm so glad others feel the same and that I'm not as grumpy an old woman as I thought.
PS Have always loved reading the posts on this forum-they are both amusing and informative. Keep up the good work everyone.
Myself feels that the overuse and incorrect use of 'myself' instead of the word 'me' or 'I' causes myself to grind my own personal teeth.
I don't agree with today's politically correct view that slapping a child is "unacceptable physical violence". There's a big difference between beating a child and giving them a slap. When I was a kid I got slapped sometimes when I misbehaved and it never did me any harm - it taught me what was and was not acceptable and to respect my mother's authority. Also, importantly, it didn't stop me loving my mother because deep down I knew she was right.
I couldn't agree more. My mother's choice of 'weapon' was the wet dishcloth if ever my brothers or I were cheeky, or the back of her hand. My father never laid a finger a finger on us, BUT, just the tone of his voice was enough to discipline us. He was a coal face miner, so there was never the namby pamby "please dont do that" more the case of "if you do that again you will get the biggest hiding of your life " - always did the trick. And yes, we loved our parents to bits.
At a Christmas market last year, I was looking at a big sign near a stall selling "Pussels". It took me a while to realise they were actually selling puzzles! And that was next to the loud mouth barker selling "poncy ettas" , instead of Poinsettias I had to laugh at that.
I was at a doll show once with my Mum, where a salesman said he liked the doll in the Flamingo dress (It was a Flamenco dancer's costume), my Mum and I had to stifle the giggles, but he didn't help us contain our mirth as he kept repeating it!
I don't agree with today's politically correct view that slapping a child is "unacceptable physical violence". There's a big difference between beating a child and giving them a slap. When I was a kid I got slapped sometimes when I misbehaved and it never did me any harm - it taught me what was and was not acceptable and to respect my mother's authority. Also, importantly, it didn't stop me loving my mother because deep down I knew she was right.
As Lottie said, something in today's world is cultivating more kids with ADD/ADHD, and coping with such a child must be horrendous. What I can't accept, though, are the parents who, when in a public place with a kid that's running wild, screaming etc., quite clearly don't think there's anything wrong with that. I recently told a kid who nearly knocked me over in a supermarket to stop and the mother gave me a four letter word and told her little darling not to take any notice of me - so the kid tore off to mow down the rest of the shoppers. If the mother had apologised and explained that she struggled with a hyperactive child I'd have had every sympathy with her.
That bad behaviour is now so often considered to be acceptable really depresses me. And as for the "you mustn't say no to a child or you'll stifle their personality" nutcases . . . . . . . . .
agreed Stumpy - make some room in those lovely comfy jails then pensioners like wot I am could move in and be looked after much better than in a care home!!!!!!!!
Hmmm yes I agree that it doesn't do any harm to smack a child occasionally. I've done it with my son and that's usually when he starts bleating the childline stuff!! I've even told him to pack his case and that he knows where the front door is.
The thing is, I would only resort to a smack if it really was the last resort - you've tried asking, reasoning till you're blue in the face and eventually if still he doesn't do as he's asked, or he's cheeky, it's a smack. The thing is, it seems to work - for a lot longer than reasoning. I can see why our parents and grandparents who inevitably had more kids and less time resorted to a good hiding!
Only trouble now, is he's bigger than me so I don't think I'll be able to get away with it soon!