A couple of days in our paper there was an article about the jump in the percent of kids taking drugs for ADHA. It is unreal. I have one brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law and one neice that are teachers, plus my sister works part time at an elem school. And my one daughter-in-law's mom is a teacher. We have all talked about this situation in the past and they tell me you would not believe the kids in their classes that are on drugs for this. and they also believe 95 % should not be on them. They say that since teachers and parents can no longer control kids due to laws and fear of being blamed for abuse if they correct their kids, these drugs are being used to control kids.

Recently my son who is with the education department at the aquarium and one of the other teachers had an outreach program at one of the middle schools. It was to teach them the importance of taking care of the bays. Well, he said only about 3 or 4 kids in that class paid attention. some refused to do the paper work, etc. One kid just kept talking and walking around and when the teacher said something to him, he told her he didn't care about the bays, it was boring, and she coulnd't make him sit. She went and got the principal and when he got there, the kid (about 10) jabbed him in the stomach and told him "You can't touch me. My parents will have your job."

What happened to the old days when that kid would have gone to the office and got 3 licks in the backside with a board--and got the same when he got home? My son does this outreach at several schools and he can not believe the difference in how kids act today compared to when he was in school. They know they can't be spanked or grabbed, etc. They run the classrooms.

My one sister-in-law (a teacher) said she would have never shut up in school had it not been for the threat of a lick or two in the office. Same with me. She also said just about half her class is on drugs for ADHA and she feels there is only one that might should be . As she said, was ADHA not around when we were kids, or was the fact we could be paddled kept it "away".

I know the laws were put in to keep parents from beating kids, but from what I read in the paper, parents who are going to beat and kill their kids do it anyway. And I know it can be over done. BUT I really think kids run the classes and their parents because they know nothing can be done.

This may open a can of worms, but I truly believe spanking does not harm a kid. If my brother and his wife would have started out paddling their oldest daughter (she is 12, adopted), she might not be on drugs today for her "ADHA". All they ever did was so no, no, that is not nice which she kicked the animals, slapped them, threw fits, etc, She got her own way and got worse and worse. Not one of us in our family believe she is ADHA. That is just the way of controlling her temper fits if things do not go exactly like she wants. When she was going on 3 they came down for visit and she was kicking our old Irish Setter. They just sat and watched and would say No No, that's not nice." Finally hubby got fed up and said "You kick my dog one more time and I am going to bust your little backside." No more kicking the dog. And it is still like that. No no, that is not nice doesn't get her parents anywhere, but threat of paddling by someone she thinks will do it stops her.

But at any rate, I think it is a shame so many kids are on drugs so they can be controled in school and at home because parents and teachers are scared to do so.

I will not contradict what you have said. My Father had grown up in the old Strict European tradition. He did not spare the rod. SOMETIMES there was little mercy or justice in his discipline. But he was one who "was overly harsh & unjust." But,on the other hand , I had friends who never disciplined their children too! There is a place inbetween, the right place! The CHILD'S actions & attitudes should decide what punishment is needed. It MUST be firm, fair & consistant. Also FAIR & JUST. Never in "OUT of CONTROL"ANGER. A parent must practice discipline & respect to get it. A child will spot a phoney & hypocrite quickly and reject the discipline. Good Parenting is not for the lazy, it has to be uniformly enforced to be accepted and voluntarily complied with by the child. Earlier the better to get the understanding that the parents are the final word. Parents must be of one mind also or the child has a way of using that too. The prisons, Jails & programs are full of what was once a "child who lacked discipline or respect of their parent's authority". A parent must deal with these problems of"Respect for authority"while the child is Young, or the "Law" and others will have to deal with it later. As for the DRUGS, it is no substitution for respect/submission to authority, nor is it a substitution for a parent shirking their duty. Unbelievable as it sounds, I call a weimaraner "Foster Home", who told me that the lil yr old weimi female was not yet available, cuz they were weaning it off a well-known Human Psyche Drug. Yep, this young lady who had this pup, had her vet put a pup on Psyche drugs, cuz the pup got lonely! Go figure! My son thanks me NOW, for being "so hard" on him when he was a kid. It wasn't easy, getting out of bed late @ night and checking up on him,ASKING QUESTIONS, etc.Sometimes I was a lil "Unpopular" BUT it was my job.

Sandra, I think a lot of the problems have to do with school over-crowding and the system the way it has evolved. I also feel too many children are dx with ADHA when it's simply a case of pure rebelliousness.

I don't know how teachers nowadays manage!! You have to really admire them -- it's a super tough job. I wouldn't be able to do it - nope - not even for a day!!

I totally agree with you, Barbi!!

Sandra, check out this article:

Teacher suspended for washing student's mouth out with soap

CNN

Sorry if anyone disagrees, but I'm from the old school and feel the teacher should be reinstated. No wonder kids feel they can do anything they want in a classroom and get away with it. I'll say it again: I could never be a teacher - I don't have the patience for putting up with rudeness and insults from children. No way!!

I would not be a teacher for anything, I could not put up with the smart mouths of these kids. My son that told me about what went on at that school a couple of weeks ago where the kid told the principal "you can't touch me, my parents will have your job" said these kids know they can do or say anything and nothing will be done. All my in-laws that are teachers all say kids will tell them to shut up, will tell them no, will not sit down when told--because they know they run the school.

I know several kids whose "punishment" at home is "time out" in their rooms--where they have TV, DVD, play station and many have computers. What kind of punishment is that. I would have been in hog heaven to have time out like that!

I'm glad my kids are grown and have turned out great!!!!! Mind you, I never did have to wash out their mouths with soap. I just hope they have a great a relationship with their children as we have.

Sandra, I'll say a prayer for your in-laws I have to say I admire them for being teachers.