read it and weep

[boban]

Mine are 5,7 and 9.

All can read, and were desperate to learn to do so.

More importantly, they know if they do something wrong they have a choice between the brown belt or the black belt. I actually hate following through but my kids are not going to be stealing, lying, cheating, drug taking little brats with no respect for the law or others.

Kids are not weeds, they don't grow up by themselves. They might get bigger but they dont grow up.

[vsquizz]

they have a choice between the brown belt or the black belt.

Didn't know you were into karate...

The old man used to have a gun belt with the little ribs in it to hold 22 shells, had to watch out for that one:eek:

Cheers

[E. maculata]

Hey Squizzy, you're not alone. My motto I ain't gunna be like my old man, but I am a parent first and if I can also be a friend, great if not, my job is to be a Dad.
I think too many people (parents??) take the easy way out, emotionally it is much easier not to disclipline, & just be one of the kids yourself. I don't believe in overly physically disclipline, but each kid is different ie; my son can take almost any sort of pain with a grin (serial walking accident zone, sorta like his ole man really) but speak to him harshly and he goes to pieces, the Daughter has a quick wit and a smart tongue when she wants (SWMNBO & I point the finger at each other over that trait) but reacts noisily to toy/computer confiscation & an very occassionally pat on the bum.
On the literacy/numeracy issue daughter could read and comprehend at 7 yr old level by 4, and is now just above age appropriate, but is an absolute mathematics and human nature wizz, the son(really old 4 yr old. so he thinks!) can read his name count to 10, traverse their computer, rode a pushbike at 3, (took his own training wheels off, "used the 14 spanner dad"),& minibikes understands correlation between nuts & spanner sizes, handles a hammer like his uncles (all but me are chippies by trade)and is more at home in the shed with tools and gear than many teenagers. But both can still drive you up the wall with behaviour, but was I any different, according to Mum no (I'm oldest of 7)
Some of the best people I know were Sh7thead kids, some of the nastiest people I know were kids who were brought up by very together parents in a great atmosphere

Guess what I'm saying is each kid has different traits and behaviours and has different stimulii and we shouldn't Box them (We hate that when people do it too us, don't we), as we all are who we are.



Bruce C.
(crikey I reckon mighta given 7 cents worth that time)

[Sir Stinkalot]

I'd like to know what the other kids have been doing??.

.... They are all being force fed happy meals so they can become the next obese generation.

[boban]

You're right Bruce they are all different. My oldest will cry if I get angry at him as will number 2. The baby girl is more resilient. But there has to be some degree of consistency.

All three cry more in anticipation of the belt rather than the physical pain. I certainly dont go overboard and occasional is the best way to describe it.

As far as bad kids/good adults and vise versa, there are always the exceptions. There are no guarantees that what we do will result in good adults but I think it will at least give them the best possible chance.

If I could chose the way my children would turn out. It would have nothing to do with intelligence or talent, it would simply be well grounded individuals who had enough respect for themselves, others and their environment.

Ahh the joys of parenthood.

[Barry_White]

What you have to remember is that God takes a kids brain out at age 14 and doesn't put it back until they are 24. My three kids gave me hell over those 10 years. Today you would never believe what they were like.

If the effort is put into them up to that age the benefit will all come out when they get over the terrible teens and the early adulthood.

[spbookie]

Gentlefolk,
May I sum the situation up.

The days of good English has went.


Charles

[AlexS]

I'm having problems with my 4 1/2 year old at the moment. She's only in kindy and SWMBO got called into the teachers office the other day. It seems my daughter is bored at Kindy, (she was expecting to do some maths and english) but she is the only kid in the class who can hold a pen properly, write her name, count to 20, recite the alphabet and structure sentences.

The educational "expert" has assessed her as quite the norm just miles in front of her peers and wanted to know what home education she had had. The Missus and I laughed. You see our kids have heaps of books, we read to them every day and answer their questions. Discipline is fairly strict in our house and we are big on manners but apart from that we don't push our kids at all.

I'd like to know what the other kids have been doing??. In the mean time the school is trying to decide wether to put her up into the pre-school class. Makes you wonder if my girl has "quite normal" aptitude then what is going on out there in the general community.

Cheers

I was going to post an ironic reply, but said it all. I believe the best start in education is reading to/with your kids. And the best way to help them develop into good people is to spend time with them.

Interesting thoughts on punishment...If you do it consistently from the time they're little, you rarely have to do it when they're older.

As for electronic games...SWMBO is searching for a Donkey Kong game & watch for daughter's 30th birthday...she wasn't allowed to have one when she was a child.