lack of disciplne lately...naive?

I think it's a combination of a lot of things really. Parents nowadays, spend much more time at work than they used to, so when they are home, they hate to discipline thier kids, no one wants to be the bad guy, but what they don't realize is that they are just in turn, setting their children up for failure, and making things much more difficult than they need to be. I also think, that parents are constantly being criticized by others (their peers, parents, pediatricians, and the old lady at walmart) for what they do or do not do. We are constantly being told that we are "wounding" our children, when we spank, scold them or tell them no. THere are so many books out there, telling us what to do, and how to do it, the only problem is that many of them contradict each other, and so what you have left is confused, helpless parents. We used to take our advice from our parents, or grandparents, but somewhere along the line, we decided that their way didn't work out, (although most of us were raised successfully that way) and threw the baby out with the bathwater! One other thing that I think adds to it is, that a lot of parents want to be "cool" they want their kids to like them, and to be friends with them, and you cannot be a friend and a parent, it just does not work out.

I think it's because both parents are just too busy for their parents. We've gotten into a society where both mom and dad must work to make a living. Children are not getting the attention and love they deserve because parents come home cranky and tired. so I don't think it's not knowing what to do. it's just not having the energy to deal with it. Sad, isn't it.

Yes, stacy, the lack of discipline in children today can be directly connected to the government's meddling in how a parent should discipline their children. There is nothing wrong in correcting your child when they need it. I refuse to allow the government to dictate how I should raise my child. After all, you can judge their intelligence just by looking at how they run local and national affairs. They should stay out of family affairs-unless there is obvious abuse going on. These kids are smart, and they learn easily how to use the system to their advantage. No parent should be held hostage by a government telling them that they cannot discipline their child. I grew up in a time where spanking was common and nobody I know turned out to be a monster because they got spanked.

I perosonally think that in today's society we are quick to judge a person because they utilize corporal puinshment....I was spanked when I was a child....but I try to use every other method before I would do that myself....but I will if nothing else works.... I also think that alot of single parents have huge difficulties in trying to work full time and keep up eith everything at home and watch everything their children are doing.... There may be a few so called "lazy" parents out there but I think that most of them are doing what they can to help keep track of their children's activities and behaviors.

I think you do not have to spank to discipline. I think there are so many ways to lay down the law that spanking almost seems immoral. When my girls were growing up and they needed some discipline, the best thing I did was to take away phone privilages. It drove them crazy. I think so many parents are working now days too that sometimes they are just too tired to deal with it and it's not necessarily laziness.....maybe just slacking a bit.

Discipline is hard enough without worrying about what everyone else thinks of what you are doing. There is a difference between hitting your child and swatting their butts. It is each parents choice on how they do it, the most important thing (in my opinion) is consistently up holding the rules. If they are not allowed to stand on the furniture then that is that and it will not happen. I found that sometimes you have to change how you do it. For example, instead of sitting my daughter in time out in a chair she has to put her nose in the corner with her hands down to her sides and she is not allowed to talk or move from that position until she is told to get out. Afterwards we talk about it. I have to change the punishment over time to make sure the there is a positive out come and that she learns from it. I can't say that I haven't spanked her but I can say that I was never angry when I did it and that it is NOT my primary form of discipline. I believe that people are afraid that it is more than just a swat on the butt. How can you accept a punishment when you don't know what each person considers a "spanking"?

I think it is a bit of both. Sometimes it is easier to just let it go, other times people try different forms of punishment and it just doesn't work. I know someone who has a 2 year old. He does something bad, then goes running over to his time out chair and says 'Time out'. Then he sits there until Mom says he can get up. Time out obviously does not work as a discipline method for him. He is 2 now and still easy to control, but what will happen as he gets older, she is already out of ideas for now.

around here you can not as much as grab your child by the arm or some one is calling social services on you and trying to have the child removed from your home. I dont know why people feel the need to but in while you are discipling your child but they do. As long as you are not abusing them I do not see what the fuss is all about.

I think parents (not all) but most dont spank their kids like they used to do in the old days (give them a nice butt whoopin) because now the kids are so quick to say there calling the cops or social services on the parents. Me personally I dont like to spank my daughter, I dont believe in that method of disciplining..I think there are other ways to let her know she has done something wrong. Im only speaking for myself!