10-year-old terror

[AB Asks]

Lewis Green is only 10 but has a string of criminal offences behind him including smoking cannabis, threatening children with a knife, vandalism and burglary. He has been excluded from several schools and is beyond the control of his parents. His mother claims she has tried to give Lewis a good upbringing and her husband has tried to pull him off the streets but nothing has worked. . Lewis is now on an anger management drug after he was diagnosed with a mild case of Asperger's syndrome and this has apparently helped. What do you think? Would you let your child get to a stage where they have no respect for others and run riot causing terror on the streets? Is it lenient parenting that let this boy to think its OK to smoke, drink and cause criminal damage at such a young age? Or is a child's behaviour out of a parent's control ultimately?

[jenstar]

When did Paul Dacre become AB Ed? These sensationalist talking points are worse than the Jeremy Vine Show. (Incredible - something worse than Jeremy Vine!)

[gina32]

jenster surely you meant jeremy kyle???

[Dom Tuk]

jeremy vine is not much good either. He debates some important point and then makes us listen to some pop song. Rubbish.

[Joe_the_Lion]

All the child needs is a good beating.

Points I wish to make.

1) There is no way any child of mine, or indeed my family, would end up like this.

2) The kid is just bad, simple as that.

3) His parent (note the lack of plural) is probably the local bike with cheap leggings, nicotine stained fingers and a string of convictions herself. I note she says "Husband" as opposed to "FATHER". I strongly believe she doesn't know who the actual father is, such is her promiscuous lifestyle.

4) Is the child by any chance Welsh or non-white? May explain a lot.

[matt66]

welcome back ward minter

[what..the?]

This behaviour is as a direct result of the parental care and the childs general day to day surroundings, whether this be at home or more likely on the streets.

In my opinion all children behaving like this should be humanely put to sleep and the parents banned from having further children, if they ignore the ban they are to be jailed.

The End!

[noxlumos]

God help us. Give the child to me for six months and you'll see a different lad, children are not born bad, get a grip, nor is lenient parenting the cause. Couldn't care less parenting and bad social conditions cause this, nothing else. There are no rules except use your common sense in my house and none of my children have grown up disrespectful, criminal or delinquent. Parenting is quite simple if you just treat your kids with respect, you find they emulate what they see, and before anyone tells me I'm nuts, I've taken in more delinquent kids than most of you have had hot dinners, so I do know what I'm talking about.

[crete]

i see the old veteran ? is back

[netibiza]

nox I've fostered many a wild child, some were left to roam like wild animals killing and eating raw chickens here in the early 70's - guess why - hippy parents, and no social services. I was only their teacher and I ended up with them living with me and I taught them cleanliness and respect, one is now a film director and I am proud of him. They do need discipline, love and guidance.

[sunnyday2d]

all you people who are whining about this
subject in case you had not noticed this
is in the news forum.
just go to media forum, you can have a good
time seeing the latest celeb gossip
after all whats the real world compaired to that.

[sp1814]

netibiza

Good for you. It's a pity there aren't many, many more like you.

Joe The Minter-Lion...the child in question is white...well actually, more of a grubby grey.

Children absolutely need boundaries set and they need discipline.

It's as simple as this...there are some poor quality parents out there who are rubbish at child-rearing for a variety of reasons. My guess is that they came from poor parents themselves, broken home, financially unempowered etc.

I myself came from that kind of environment, but my (single) mother assured me that if I ever did badly at school, got into trouble with the police, swore, stole or whatever, she's have me bumped off.

I always thought she was joking, but thinking about it, my sister failed her O Levels back in 1991, and I haven't seen her since...

[Supernick]

Much a I'd love to blame the state, they're doing all they can. His mother is a total embarassment however, and I read an article about this yesterday. She said that he was much better on the anger drugs, and enjoyed the occasional cigarette now and again. Well that's oka....wait a minute, the occasional cigarette?? At age 10? Have you learned precisely nothing about discipline in spite of his criminal convictions?
Some poor parents seem to think that discipline is a mean thing, but you couldn't be further from the truth. When we're children we need to learn right and wrong, and understand how to behave around other people.

[sp1814]

Supernick

That's EXACTLY what I thought.

A ten year old has a mother who thinks that the occasional cigarette is okay.

I cease to be amazed any more.

[netibiza]

Also in my class was a 5 year old who smoked cigarettes - I was flabbergasted - mind you his name was Booney - so you can see what I was up against.

[netibiza]

gravitate I was also beaten many times with a chain-link belt, it didn't keep me on the straight and narrow! I was not a do gooder by any means, but it was the first time in my life that I thought of others and not myself! Oh and I believe in smacking but not child abuse.

[noxlumos]

Gravitate, I was beaten witless as a kid, and it caused me to go off the rails big time. Sensible parenting works, you don't need to hit anyone, what the hell are you thinking?

[ludwig]

As long as he's not living near me he needs patience, understanding, and firm guidelines.
However, If it's my house he's burgling or my child he's threatening with a knife he needs a good kicking.

[netibiza]

To be quite honest, yes he needs a good wallop or three!!