Today,fewpeoplewoulddefendthetraditionalattitudetochildren.Ifyourecallwhathappenedinolddays,youwouldbeastonishedatthesevereandstricteducationforchildren,forinstance,old-fashionedspankingwascommonpunishmentforchildren.Asaresult,whiletheparentsthusestablishedtheirownauthority,thepoorchildrenwouldneverrecoverfromthedreadfultraumaticexperiencewhentheygrewup.
However,asyouknow,thingsoftengotoextremes.Nowadays,parents'confidenceintheirownauthorityhasbeengreatlyundermined.Countlessarticlesinmagazinesandnewspapersandtvprogrammespublicizechildcare.Whensomuchover-enthusiasticadviceflyingabout,mumanddadjustdon'tknowwhattodoanymore.Intheend,theydonothing.
Sofromearlychildhood,thekidsareinchargeandparents'livesareregulatedaccordingtotheneedsoftheiroffspring.Whenthelittledearsdevelopintoteenagers,theytakecompletecontrol.Iftheyoungpeoplearegoingtohaveaparty,forexample,parentsareaskedtoleavethehouse.Theirpresencemerelyspoilsthefun.Whatelsecanthepoorparentsdobutobey?
Inmymind,achildcertainlyneedslove,andalotofit.Buttheexcessivepermissivenessofmodernparentsissurelydoingmoreharmthangood.Thespreadofjuveniledelinquencyislargelyduetoparentallaxity.Mother,believingthatherlittlebabycanlookafterhimself,isnotathomewhenhereturnsfromschool,solittlebabyroamsthestreet.Thedividing-linebetweenpermissivenessandsheernegligenceisveryfineindeed.
