The pic of the "Pine Cone Hand Grenade" in today's humor post by Narraganset brought back memories of childhood war games! Then this sad tale came to remembrance; At the end of our street lived a family with "Much Disposable Income" and few restraints on the kids!

The older son was in my brother's elementary class, and the younger son was one or two years behind. (This is the 62-63 school year and my brother was in 6th grade.) The parents would buy just about anything the kids ask for, and the older son got a 20 caliber pellet rifle for Christmas. You could pump it up really high and actually kill small game with it.

We were walking past their house and you'd hear the rifle shoot and the younger brother scream! I ask my brother what that kid's dad would do to him for shooting his brother? His response was that the parents gave them anything and ignored them otherwise, because "Their Parents didn't like them very much!"

I know my parents liked me! In retrospect, they got a little carried away sometimes, but they were trying to raise two humans not two wild beasts! I did plenty to get spanked for and received my just reward! So, I learned how to be a member of a civilized society.

I watched the neighborhood kids grow up at the same time as my 4 kids. My kids did something wrong and got DISIPLENED, the neighborhood kids did the same stupid stuff (I think that's where my kids got some of those ideas) and nothing happened. My kids at first challenged my love for them, then they started realizing why I Disciplined them. About the time my youngest (and wildest) was in college the boy next store started a 10 year or so stretch for Drug trafficking! I actually heard my son say to one of his friends that the next-door boy's PARENTS DIDN"T REALLY LIKE HIM VERY MUCH!

My kids turn 40 to 45 this year. Nobody went to prison, everybody lives in their own home (not in my basement) they all go to work everyday, and raise their kids to be behaved! I guess my folks did it right, I guess my brother and I did it right, and it sure looks like my kids are doing it right.

In closing, my wife and her sister talked about sending letters and Christmas presents to their cousin in prison when they were teens. The tears flowed freely! They made sure they didn't have to do that for their kids! They really liked their kids!

Ivan

Sir. You did it right......So did my parents.

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S&W Accumulator

I think I raised my boy right and he then raised his three kids right. And I am sure my great grand kids will be good kids. It is a thing that is passed on down generation to generation.

Sad part of today is kids eat in one parent homes and are raised electronically or on the street.

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S&W Accumulator

I was the same with my kids...who are now model citizens, great careers and families of their own, and not lick of problems from either of them beyond the typical kid stuff. It may not seem so at times, but there are still enough of us around to keep the movie Idiocracy from becoming a documentary...I hope.

Based on my professional experiences I have a few comments on such, some of which can be posted here.
1) There is a reason I refer to a significant percentage of the population as "criminally feral" - they are about as well raised for a decent society as a 3 year old barn cat.

2) "Parenting is a social behavior. Gene donation is a collateral consequence of a recreational activity."

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NHI, 10-8.

I’ll risk being a bit political with this question, “does our country really need more unwanted children that have incompetent parents? Another item on the ballot this November.

Explain "item on ballot"..............

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S&W Accumulator

My mother died when I was about 18. At the time I thought she was mean, but I thank her most every day and I know she is what kept me out of jail.

When I was in the Marines we had a real troubled guy in the squadron . He actually went awol in Australia , was gone for a while . Finally his girlfriend turned him in . He had to pay back Uncle Sam the cost of 2 brig chasers to fly to Australia and back and his ticket . He didn't get much , like $25 a payday . He called his parents for some cash , phone was disconnected . Anyone he called, they'd say they didn't know where they were . Now that's someone who's parents didn't like him .

Being a responsable person youdont have children without taking care of them ,that is also teaching right from wrong ,And somtimes correcting them .Not spitting them out like stray animals.

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age is just a number

I've read somewhere that a good father disciplines the children he loves. A father who doesn't discipline his children is treating them as if they were illegitimate...

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Send lawyers, guns & money...