I wonder what is the best form of discipline when a young adult is chucking its weight around and being obnoxious. Excluding them from school doesn't teach them anything or putting them in a room called the cooler, as they can still either run out or cause mayhem in that room. So waht is the answer? Yes I to believe that discipline starts at home. There doesn't seem to be much respect these days whatever the age of the child. Personally I think they are made to grow up to quickly. And maybe watching to many bad things on tv is not a good thing.?

Violence breeds violence, there are other ways to punish rather than physical punishment if reasoning fails.

You are asking the wrong one in me. Remember I am old school and also just plain old!

So there is no discipline, no respect and discipline starts at home.
I agree discipline does start at home. I firmly believe that it is the parents job, and only the parents job, to discipline the children whilst the teachers teach.
Unfortunately this doesn't happen, because the teachers time is taken up trying to teach good manners and the behaviour that isn't taught at home, to teach the 3 Rs.
So who's fault is this? Why can't children spell? Why have they no knowledge of grammar?
It goes back probably to my generation but certainly it is getting worse with each subsequent generation.
If my children continually did things that they knew were wrong then their hands or legs were smacked...enough to sting. It rarely needed happen a second time.

So those are the thoughts of an old fogey
No offence to anyone

Nippy, that is the way my parents brought me up... and i don't have a problem with it, i turned out fine and not some rude arrogant violent thug with no respect so job well done by my parents

Teenagers are quite a different animal. For some teens you can still take away privileges and reward positive behavior. Unfortunately some of them are going to rebel beyond what a parent can correct.

Sadly those are the kids who will be taught self control by law enforcement officers...and even then some of them still don't get it. As a parent you just do the best you can figure out with the time you have.

So what does a 9 or 10 year old little girl do when her year teacher used to call her up to the front of the class and put his hand up her skirt and in her knickers?

She either puts up with it or she complains and gets caned.

And oh yes it happened but in those days teachers were special so little girld were too frightened to say anything.

Because teachers could do no wrong so they could do what they want.

Who listened to children in those days?

Nippy Jen - With you all the way on that one!!!!!

I agree with Nippy that discipline and respect does start at home, and should be taught at home too. It's how I was bought up, my mum ruled our house too, it's how I've bought mine up too. Never had to smack my children ever. Don't agree with it as I've already said. It doesn't solve anything in my eyes.

My Mum had "The Look". All she had to do was stare at you over the top of her glasses...instantly you stopped doing whatever you were doing, even what you might be thinking of doing...Then again she was a schoolteacher for many years...lots of practice I suppose

My mum wasn't a teacher but I know that 'look'