Editorial: Punish parents who fail kids

There is, undoubtedly, some shocking parenting in New Zealand.

At the extreme end are parents who end up being charged for the deaths of children, parents who mistreat and abuse their children. Some children don't seem to have a chance, highlighted at the sentencing of a teenager for beating and raping a 5-year-old girl in Turangi. Brought up in a gang family, physically abused, suicidal, a drinker and cannabis user and sentenced to jail for 10 years - all by the age of 16.

There seems to be plenty of other parents who create bad environments for their children - their own bad behaviour copied by their children - people who basically have chosen not to parent. How do we force parents to be parents and take their responsibilities as parents seriously?

Rotorua school principal Patrick Walsh is calling for parents to face criminal charges if their children misbehave at school following the publication of figures showing children as young as 7 have been kicked out of schools for bringing drugs and alcohol to class.

Maybe that would make at least some parents sit up and take notice.

The fact Mr Walsh is lobbying for parents to be held to account if students behave badly shows just how bad things have become, that this might be the only way to make some people do their jobs as parents.

It should be a given that parents are doing everything within their power to raise children in good, healthy environments and bring them up to behave well and respect other people. These are not outlandish expectations - either from parents or from children.

There should be grave concerns about parenting skills in New Zealand and that bad parents, themselves perhaps raised by bad parents, are now also raising tomorrow's bad parents. Something must be done.

If it takes holding parents criminally responsible when their children misbehave, so be it.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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