"Children" in the news

A child's character shows itself at an early age. Teachers in infant schools say it is easy to assess the new little ones, even at the age of 4/5, and judge what sort of adults they will turn into. Also, they can tell the home influences of each child, even without meeting the parents. The behaviour of children reflects their character. Many adult criminals showed their tendencies at an early age, with cruelty and bullying towards animals and other children. How to deal with them? I can't answer that question but clearly they need professional help.
 
A child's character shows itself at an early age. Teachers in infant schools say it is easy to assess the new little ones, even at the age of 4/5, and judge what sort of adults they will turn into. Also, they can tell the home influences of each child, even without meeting the parents. The behaviour of children reflects their character. Many adult criminals showed their tendencies at an early age, with cruelty and bullying towards animals and other children. How to deal with them? I can't answer that question but clearly they need
 

Nature vs nurture - there may be some children who are born evil, but I think most children, if nurtured with a combination of love and discipline will grow into decent people. Poverty plays a part too, but being born into a well-off family doesn't guarantee good parents.

Unfortunately too many kids are abused, neglected, exposed to drugs, and just plain unloved - and if they can't get help at an early age, they will be beyond help.
 
I taught at the high school level for a few years until I could switch to elementary. Had a kid in my class with an ankle monitor on. He was out on attempted rape. But even in elementary school, there were a couple kids that I didn’t want to turn my back on. There was one boy who was severely troubled. Without going into detail, every teacher in that school breathed a sigh of relief when his family moved out of town.
 
The trouble with "spare the rod and spoil the child" is that it suggests there are only two options in raising children. Surely, there is something in between beating a child (with a stick? good heavens!) and giving a bratty, demanding kid everything he says he wants. There can be discipline along with love and caring. And discipline doesn't mean corporal punishment; that is an angry, often sadistic means of controlling a child. What is wrong with just sending a child to his room for a "time out?" Isn't that much less likely to produce future murderers or child abusers?

A child who commits a criminal offense, at least after the age of 10 or so, should be tried by the criminal justice system. No one should get away with killing other people, no matter how young he is. There are juvenile facilities; I don't get this "trying as an adult" thing.
 
The trouble with "spare the rod and spoil the child" is that it suggests there are only two options in raising children. Surely, there is something in between beating a child (with a stick? good heavens!) and giving a bratty, demanding kid everything he says he wants. There can be discipline along with love and caring. And discipline doesn't mean corporal punishment; that is an angry, often sadistic means of controlling a child. What is wrong with just sending a child to his room for a "time out?" Isn't that much less likely to produce future murderers or child abusers?

A child who commits a criminal offense, at least after the age of 10 or so, should be tried by the criminal justice system. No one should get away with killing other people, no matter how young he is. There are juvenile facilities; I don't get this "trying as an adult" thing.
One big difference is if a person is tried as a juvenile, the individual is generally released upon turning age 18.
 
There was nothing on TV last night and I watched parts of a show on HLN (CNN) with the title Murder Capital of the World. I knew instantly that was about my hometown of Santa Cruz Ca. I remember that tag it was given in the early 70's. They focused on Kemper. He murdered his grandparent's at 15. Was released from a psychiatric facility at 20 or 21. Murdered multiple female college students and his mother, who from all accounts was nuts herself. He was said to be highly intelligent but clearly insane. What if he had never been released? Those young woman would have been spared and the nightmare their families endured avoided.
Good point! I can almost hear those bleeding heart liberals crying. They keep crying until some 12 year old sticks a gun in their face and then suddenly, they change "their tune." They always think that crime happens to somebody else but when it happens to them, boy, do they "scream bloody murder!"
 


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