It always amazes me how you can raise two children in the same house, the same way, and they turn out competely different. Matthew, my oldest, was a real miniature gansta/rapper when he was a kid. He wanted so much to be black. It was cooler in his eyes. Dan was he quiet, shy kid who always helped out around the house. At about age 16, Matt looked in the mirror and said, "What am I doing? I'm white!" At that point he started acting like the white, Maine hick that he is today.
Matt turned out to be a great, responsible young man. Dan has disappointed me more than a few times, but all-in-all, he's a pretty good kid, too.
I think many parents are afraid to discipline their children for fear the Department Of Human Services will pay them a visit. They are real pros at doing that, and letting the real offenders go unnoticed. I really don't think there is anything wrong with giving a kid a slap on the butt, or forcing him to go to bed without is supper if he's done something really bad. I know I've had a few butt smacks, and missed more than one supper because I was too mouthy to Mom. It didn't take too long for me to learn my lesson.