In your editorial The golden rule (TMID, 11 November), you bring out the importance of discipline.

You seem to imply that, these days, parents find it harder to exercise discipline on their children. And I believe you are right.

I am a 65-year-old pensioner who was raised in a strict environment at home. I was never beaten or smacked, but my parents raised myself and my brothers and sisters in such a way that just one look from my father was enough to stop me in my tracks, whatever I was doing.

This, I believe, helped me to grow up showing respect to all authorities, a respect that I still maintain to this very day.

I tried to exercise the same discipline over my children, but by then times had changed and I must say that I was more “relaxed” in my approach, although I still think that I managed to raise children who do show respect towards me, my wife and the authorities.

The thing is that today’s parents of young children have continued to lose – just as I “lost” when compared to my parents – the ability to exercise discipline. They pamper their kids, buy them everything they want and take them wherever they want, probably to make up for the fact that they spend little time with them. They think that in this way they will earn their respect.

This is where they are wrong. Respect is not earned this way. If anything, children will grow up thinking that they can get everything they want if they demand for it.

Raising children is probably the hardest profession that exists. One does not get training for it, but has to learn from experience. What parents should keep in mind is that they have been entrusted with the future – of their children and of society.

P. Farrugia

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