As a general rule I hate the local news. The financials and world events are enough to give me a headache and a queasy stomach so more than that I don't usually subscribe to. Still this was one I had to read. it comes from my home state, sadly enough, and it is a real testament to our attention to our kids and what they are thinking and feeling.
A thirteen year old young man stabbed and killed his brother over who got to play the next turn on the video game.
The story goes on to state, that " Something failed in this situation that had absolutely nothing to do with video games. Normal people don't go from arguing over who gets to play a video game to murderous rage in the blink of an eye."
Granted. It is normally the province of the sociologists to blame the game, or the parent.
In this instance I choose B..
Where were you mom and dad. This young man did not go from a perfect child to one who considers, let alone acts on, an instinct like this. There were signs of that kind of rage which showed in aspects of his daily life.
I am all for spanking a child and telling him no.. these are the consequences of your actions..
My mother did it. it didn't kill me, nor in fact maim me or warp my fragile psyche beyond all hope of redemption.
it did have the effect of letting me know there were limits.. if I hurt someone else, I could depend on not having the video game and a not so pleasantly warm backside as well.
When we stepped in and said.. lets legislate your childs punishment, lets legislate your parenting, and lets legislate every aspect of your life, THEN we began to see events such as these on an upward spiral.
and so it goes..
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