This is bugging me....

[Cataholic]

While I am all for parental responsibility....sometimes even great parenting just doesn't do the trick.

[Twisterdog]

While I am all for parental responsibility....sometimes even great parenting just doesn't do the trick.

Absolutely true.

I have seen and heard about and personally know children who were raised by loving, caring, competent, excellent parents ... and the kids are absolutely horrid little beasts.

And I have also seen and heard about and personally know children who were raised by abusive, absent, clueless, manipulative, addicted worthless excuses for parents ... and the kids buck all the odds and do very well for themselves.

I do NOT believe in passing the buck. I do firmly believe in doing to best job you can raising your children, taking responsibility and teaching your children responsibility. But, saying that parents are ALWAYS to blame when a child "goes bad" is simply very wrong. Sometimes bad kids happen to good parents ... and visa versa.

And sometimes a good kid does a few bad things, or has a few bad months, or a few bad years. Things happen, children are their own people with their own ideas, morals and ethics, no matter how hard we try to mold them.

IMO, the only people who truly know with 100% certainty the single best way to raise children to have them turn out exactly right ... always seem to be the people who have never had children themselves.