Perhaps there is no area of legislation, law enforcement and social consideration of greater consideration or more hotly debated than those governing domestic considerations, especially child rearing. Legislation and child rearing have gone hand in hand before but are rarely comfortable partners. The challenge is to define that thin, narrow line between protecting children and allowing adults enough control to effectively teach and discipline youngsters. From such proverbial directives as “Sparing the rod is spoiling the child,” and “A student’s ears are on his back,” to more nurturing approaches that maintain that a child learns best in an environment of acceptance and understanding, just what to do and when to do it have long been questions. The Scope of the Problem At one end of the spectrum we have infant abandonment, young children left in hot cars, and shaken babies; at the other end, we have frustrated, angry young adults who return to their school or church to demonstrate their pique with guns. Babies become adults. Nurturing can make a difference, but it is still unclear just how much. The jury is still out on… Read More