[redwitch]

I do remember being drug not just by my parents but by their friends, neighbors, the woman down the street to do what was needed. This was not just in the USA but in Europe as well. It certainly instilled certain ethics in me.

However, I was of the generation where drugs were easy to come by, at least when I was in college and ever since. I did inhale and quite enjoyed it. However, I never overused, never drove when high, maintained a 4.2 GPA, kept my scholarship and worked full time.

I don't think it is a failure of parents alone. It is a failure of entire communities. Neighbors no longer want to get involved. Schools are afraid to discipline. Parents' hands are frequently tied (soap on the tongue, switches are now considered child abuse). Society needs to bring back discipline (not necessarily corporal punishment but real consequences) and honest self-respect. Children should be allowed to fail, not be rewarded for mediocrity. Today's society is so worried about self-esteem that it forgets that a child is not the ruler of the home -- catering to the child (whether in special foods for dinner or always going where the child wants) helps no one in the long run.