I have sat by and listened to many people say that parents should be held responsible for their children's actions but personally I can't agree with punishing parents for what their children do.

While I agree that discipline and respect should be taught in the homes, society has a big affect on what a child does when he/she comes out of their homes. While many homes have parents who try their best to raise their children right you balso have many parents who don't care about how their children are raised.

There are many children who come from the best homes with both parents, have the best education and they still end up robbing, killing and beating others! WHY?

Not because they don't know any better but it's a matter of where they hang out and who they hang with. I always warn my children about hanging out with the wrong people because I believe that it's not who your parents are that will determine your future but who your FRIENDS are. So I tell my children to choose their friends wisely!!

If parents are to be held responsible for their children's actions, I can forsee many innocent parents being asked to pay heavy fines and being put in prison.

We all know that the children of today do not like to be told what to do because they think that they should be allowed to do whatever they want so they rebel when parents try to restrict them from doing certain things..

For this reason many innocent parents who are just trying to bring up their children in the right way would end up being dragged before the courts and looked at as criminals which I think will breathe even more criminals out of parents and their other siblings!!

These children of today seem to have a different mindset from former generations because they are heavily influenced by outside cultures which are corroding our society rapidly!!

These rude children would love to have someone else to blame and be punished for their actions.

I don't see how making parents responsible for their children's actions will improve this bad situation that we now find ourselves in....

In all of this I think that the most important thing that I said is teach your children to choose their friends wisely (decent people with good records)......this will reduce the stress level of raising children tremendously!!!

Unfortunately parents still must take alot of the blame, it was them that tought their kids right from wrong, or did not. It is them that either buys their kid a cell phone, or not, and if they do buy them one for emergencies, it is them that might pay the extra for that monthly unnecessary texting .. it is them that buys them the video games, lets them watch the movies .. lets them go out and wonder the streets with the gangs in some cases ... the parents are the guardians of the kids, they are the ones that tell the kid when the kid can or cant eat .. when the kid can or cant goto sleep .. alot of it is still the parents responsibility.

However .... friends do influence and that is a given .. and just because a kid does a crime, generally there is no need to actually put the reason solely on the parent .. however in extreme crimes like stabbings, it is clear the kid was not brought up right. Obviously if the kid is no longer living under the roof of the parent outside influences become stronger and anything can then happen, and thats another thing all together, but by that time they are already grown up.

Unfortunately parents still must take alot of the blame, it was them that tought their kids right from wrong, or did not. It is them that either buys their kid a cell phone, or not, and if they do buy them one for emergencies, it is them that might pay the extra for that monthly unnecessary texting .. it is them that buys them the video games, lets them watch the movies .. lets them go out and wonder the streets with the gangs in some cases ... the parents are the guardians of the kids, they are the ones that tell the kid when the kid can or cant eat .. when the kid can or cant goto sleep .. alot of it is still the parents responsibility.

However .... friends do influence and that is a given .. and just because a kid does a crime, generally there is no need to actually put the reason solely on the parent .. however in extreme crimes like stabbings, it is clear the kid was not brought up right. Obviously if the kid is no longer living under the roof of the parent outside influences become stronger and anything can then happen, and thats another thing all together, but by that time they are already grown up.

Your first paragraph points out some of the parenting issues but I still can't agree that parents should be punished for their children's actions!!

A gun is good, even a knife is also but it's the idiot with these items that turn them into weapons!!

Stabbings does not prove that a child was not brought up in the right way!!
Who knows why people do such stupid things!!

My outside son lived with me for about a year and a half at about age 11 and I had all the trouble in the world to get him to settle down..I love to talk to my children when I am driving them around and I do this as often as I can... but my outside son still took a knife from home to school because other children were threatening him....

Now he grew up with his mother where there was no rules and she was hardly ever home so you could imagine the change he had to go through moving in with me where there were all sorts of rules.

I had a plan when he first moved in... I gave him about four months of getting use to the new system and lots of talking to within that time but he still did his own thing when he went out!!

I actually had to spy on him several times and had other friends checking on him so that he could see that I was serious but he still did his own thing!!

Now tell me why should I as a parent be responsible for his actions????

Rory, am behind you 100%. The only statement I would ad to that, would be that the government, and the church need to implement more after school activities for students.

Unfortunately, there are to many single family homes in the Bahamas, mainly Matriachical. Most of these single parents work long hours to provide for their children. Sometimes children are left home by themself until 5pm or even later every day, taken in mine that many parents do not have a relative who can help them. This leaves them vulnerable to bad company, teenage pregnancy, and other fall backs.

If every church in this country would volunteer to host an after school program along with the government, that would be so much less children hanging out on the dangerous streets, or getting themself involved with the wrong company. They would also have a wider range of responsible persons to confide in, hopefully!

Rory, am behind you 100%. The only statement I would ad to that, would be that the government, and the church need to implement more after school activities for students.

Unfortunately, there are to many single family homes in the Bahamas, mainly Matriachical. Most of these single parents work long hours to provide for their children. Sometimes children are left home by themself until 5pm or even later every day, taken in mine that many parents do not have a relative who can help them. This leaves them vulnerable to bad company, teenage pregnancy, and other fall backs.

If every church in this country would volunteer to host an after school program along with the government, that would be so much less children hanging out on the dangerous streets, or getting themself involved with the wrong company. They would also have a wider range of responsible persons to confide in, hopefully!

So you believe that it would be fair to send a law abiding person to prison or make that person pay a heavy fine for something they did not do???

Why???? Don't you believe in JUSTICE????

A law to make parents responsible will never happen in this country so we should be discussing REAL solutions!!!!

I don't think that parents should be punished but we need to be held accountable somehow. Is true that a lot of people have been brought up in broken homes and under terrible conditions and are good people, law abiding citizens but the fact is that our influence as parents play a great role in our children as a whole.

I totally agree that that type of Law shouldn't happen and I'm no expert but the lack of parenting is what is bringing down our societies everywhere in the world.

Your first paragraph points out some of the parenting issues but I still can't agree that parents should be punished for their children's actions!!
A gun is good, even a knife is also but it's the idiot with these items that turn them into weapons!!
Stabbings does not prove that a child was not brought up in the right way!!
Who knows why people do such stupid things!!
My outside son lived with me for about a year and a half at about age 11 and I had all the trouble in the world to get him to settle down..I love to talk to my children when I am driving them around and I do this as often as I can... but my outside son still took a knife from home to school because other children were threatening him....
Now he grew up with his mother where there was no rules and she was hardly ever home so you could imagine the change he had to go through moving in with me where there were all sorts of rules.
I had a plan when he first moved in... I gave him about four months of getting use to the new system and lots of talking to within that time but he still did his own thing when he went out!!
I actually had to spy on him several times and had other friends checking on him so that he could see that I was serious but he still did his own thing!!
Now tell me why should I as a parent be responsible for his actions????


I was looking for the word (punished) .. I do not think they should be punished .. well some of them perhaps, but overall no, however they do hold most of the blame in many cases. Remember, we are talking about kids that are living under the parents roof, not kids that have left home. Your case is different though, I mean you did not bring him up, you are taking over from the other parents that should have tought him that a knife was wrong, I think? Whats an outside son?

Your first paragraph points out some of the parenting issues but I still can't agree that parents should be punished for their children's actions!!
A gun is good, even a knife is also but it's the idiot with these items that turn them into weapons!!
Stabbings does not prove that a child was not brought up in the right way!!
Who knows why people do such stupid things!!
My outside son lived with me for about a year and a half at about age 11 and I had all the trouble in the world to get him to settle down..I love to talk to my children when I am driving them around and I do this as often as I can... but my outside son still took a knife from home to school because other children were threatening him....
Now he grew up with his mother where there was no rules and she was hardly ever home so you could imagine the change he had to go through moving in with me where there were all sorts of rules.
I had a plan when he first moved in... I gave him about four months of getting use to the new system and lots of talking to within that time but he still did his own thing when he went out!!
I actually had to spy on him several times and had other friends checking on him so that he could see that I was serious but he still did his own thing!!
Now tell me why should I as a parent be responsible for his actions????


But see you just prove what some people are saying...the mother did not do her job since she was the primary care giver during the formative years....she is somewhat responsible...You are now trying to reverse the problem and put a halt to the behavior...no one can fault you for that...

I agree with your point tho, that the kids is going to do what they want and how big the infulence is that outsiders have with kids.

I think that if and when parents are going to be held responsible that certain guidelines and stuff will be inplace...for instance, If the kid gets into one fight in 11 grade and has never been a problem before hand then...no harm no foul...but if the kid is constantly in problems, fighting, unruly etc then perhaps the home situation needs to be looked at and if it is found that the parent is greatly responsible (thru negligence or whatever) then they should be held accountable. JMO

I was looking for the word (punished) .. I do not think they should be punished .. well some of them perhaps, but overall no, however they do hold most of the blame in many cases. Remember, we are talking about kids that are living under the parents roof, not kids that have left home. Your case is different though, I mean you did not bring him up, you are taking over from the other parents that should have tought him that a knife was wrong, I think? Whats an outside son?

An outside son is one that anyone of the married parents had outside of their marriage...

I have always felt that parents have the most influence over their children between the ages of birth-about 5 or six after which friends take over as the most influential persons in those children lives!!

I did not bring him up but if their is a law saying that parents should be responsible I would be in hot water!!!

Guess what. He does not live with me anymore!!

Because he was not able to get his own way, he secretly called his mother from paid phones crying saying that my wife and I were mistreating him and she believed him!! So I did not want any trouble and I returned him... Now I hear about him being involved in gang activities and when I do see him he is with a group of young men and he is only 15!!!

Even the persons at social services believed his claims of abuse!!

Now for him it is only a matter of time before I am called to the police station, court or the morgue!! But I am hoping that the year and a half that he spent with me was enough for him to wakeup one morning and say to himself that he does not have to be living the life that he is!!!

I hope you understand why I feel the way I do!! If there is a law, it should apply across the board!

An outside son is one that anyone of the married parents had outside of their marriage...
I have always felt that parents have the most influence over their children between the ages of birth-about 5 or six after which friends take over as the most influential persons in those children lives!!
I did not bring him up but if their is a law saying that parents should be responsible I would be in hot water!!!
Guess what. He does not live with me anymore!!
Because he was not able to get his own way, he secretly called his mother from paid phones crying saying that my wife and I were mistreating him and she believed him!! So I did not want any trouble and I returned him... Now I hear about him being involved in gang activities and when I do see him he is with a group of young men and he is only 15!!!
Even the persons at social services believed his claims of abuse!!
Now for him it is only a matter of time before I am called to the police station, court or the morgue!! But I am hoping that the year and a half that he spent with me was enough for him to wakeup one morning and say to himself that he does not have to be living the life that he is!!!
I hope you understand why I feel the way I do!! If there is a law, it should apply across the board!


I dont think there should be a law .. there would be a bunch of parents locked up and kids just roaming the streets! .. not to mention they cant even enforce any of the existing laws .. and yes I understand completely ;)

I don't think that parents should be punished but we need to be held accountable somehow. Is true that a lot of people have been brought up in broken homes and under terrible conditions and are good people, law abiding citizens but the fact is that our influence as parents play a great role in our children as a whole.

I totally agree that that type of Law shouldn't happen and I'm no expert but the lack of parenting is what is bringing down our societies everywhere in the world.

But you are right about the lack of parenting bringing down societies around the world..

Parents don't have any time for their children!! They are always on the go!!

Now I hope you understand why I say that friends are more responsible for the way these children are today.....Because the parents have given up their responsibilities, the friends end up filling in for them and thus we are where we are today!!!

But see you just prove what some people are saying...the mother did not do her job since she was the primary care giver during the formative years....she is somewhat responsible...You are now trying to reverse the problem and put a halt to the behavior...no one can fault you for that...

I agree with your point tho, that the kids is going to do what they want and how big the infulence is that outsiders have with kids.

I think that if and when parents are going to be held responsible that certain guidelines and stuff will be inplace...for instance, If the kid gets into one fight in 11 grade and has never been a problem before hand then...no harm no foul...but if the kid is constantly in problems, fighting, unruly etc then perhaps the home situation needs to be looked at and if it is found that the parent is greatly responsible (thru negligence or whatever) then they should be held accountable. JMO

There are some parents who tell their children if someone hits you hit them back.....so a little later in life the children say to themselves-if someone stabbs me or my cousin I will stabb them back too!!!

Now those parents should be held accountable for their children's actions!!!
After some investigations those parents should be locked up!!!

I dont think there should be a law .. there would be a bunch of parents locked up and kids just roaming the streets! .. not to mention they cant even enforce any of the existing laws .. and yes I understand completely ;)

My son had never gotten a 1 point grade average before he came to live with me. When he left he had a 1.8 average-he was well on his way!!!

By the way, his mother had not picked up any of his report cards-I guess she had no reason to hey!!!! There was nothing to be proud of!!!

I am still upset over this situation because I got no help from social services even though they were involved the whole time even before he came to live with me!!

They did not even bother to investigate the matter after I talked with them so I returned him..Just so you know this happened within the last three years...

I think this is a suitable situation to post on this thread. Analyze this scenario and tell me what you think is wrong.

A lady took her son and nephew with her to stopover by a friend to collect something. The kids who were supposed to be sitting in the car jump out barefooted and start running wild. All she says is you'll stop, stop making noise. Its almost 11 p.m. Okay, they are kids and some kids are a bit hyper. She then lightly taps her nephew and he tells her, "I will punch you and slap you and kick you until you dead." My friend was said she was stunned. She says to my friend you hear what he say, you see why you should beat them when they small. She still did not spank or discipline the little boy. By this time the other boy her son was repeating what he had heard his cousin say. Embarrassed may friend waited patiently for her to spank the boys instead she proceeded to tell her how the nephew was trying to wake his mother the other night to turn on the light so he could go and use the bathroom. The mother never got up so the little boy took out his pencil and pee'd on his mother. My friend said that she asked the mother well what did she do. She replied "Well what she could do she was wet, and he went back to sleep.

People what is wrong with that story. Who is responsible for the Childrens acts?

The other day there was a little boy iof about 5 or 6 n Pearl Vision in his QC uniform, He was rolling round on the floor and fighting his mother back. At one point the mother got so frustrated she just let him do what he wanted.

People what is wrong with that story. Who is responsible for the Childrens acts?


To all the cute mothers out there dress down to the nines, not only children who lived in so called ghetto areas are stink and rude but the folks who have something to offer their kids have kids that are just as stink. If you think that rudeness is cute, you are dead wrong. Get a grip.

Can you imagine what these kids will be like in several years.

I have sat by and listened to many people say that parents should be held responsible for their children's actions but personally I can't agree with punishing parents for what their children do.
...........
Then who should be responsible! :dgi: