Bad Parents Make for Bad Children

Failure to deter bad behaviour leads a child to challenge authority. Laurie demonstrates his parents� loose handling of discipline by being cheeky and rude. In the following passage this neglect to enforce respect is apparent, and so, the child runs from the problem, �I [Laurie�s mother] asked again but Laurie slid off his chair, took a cookie, and left, while his father was still saying, �See here, young man�� (107).

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Society believes that an offspring should honour his/her parents. A child is supposed to listen to a parent and answer his/her role models� questions. No one taught Laurie this is wrong; he continues to show disrespect because his parents did not emphasize to him � this is wrong.

In the same way, a child will use violence as a method of ridding frustration unless a parent intercedes and explains the danger of this action. Violence is a natural instinct that must be controlled. Role models exist to teach a growing individual that enacting this instinct is wrong. Laurie�s guardians fall short in making him realize this as he grins, �Today Charles hit the teacher� (107).

Since as mentioned before Laurie is really Charles, it was Laurie who hit the teacher. He hits the teacher because the teacher tries to make him do something he does not want to do and his response is to fight back. As a result the child is doomed to repeat this misconduct. This is shown as Laurie�s teacher reports his naughtiness at school saying, �He had a little trouble adjusting, the first week or so. . . but now there are occasional lapses, of course.� (111). Laurie continues to misbehave because his parents do not explain to him Charles� faults and why Charles should be disciplined in order to prevent Laurie from doing the same thing.

A child misbehaves because he/she does not comprehend that certain actions are wrong. As parents neglect to make children aware of these errors, elders in turn become guilty of the child�s transgressions. Civilization trusts in parents to raise the young to recognize lies, insubordination and aggression for what it is: misbehaviour.

Grown ups must help kids see deceit as a form of misbehaviour. Parents should reiterate that the right way to treat his/her mother and father is with respect. Also, these guardians must make a child recognize violence as an immoral act so that it will not be repeated. Ultimately it is society who should see parents as the root of a child�s misbehavior.