[gacook]

Dunno what it is, but it's running rampant these days. I'm trying to teach my step-sons (and my wife) that they need to start being more responsible for themselves. Whenever they break something (they're boy; they rough house and **** gets broken), me or the wife typically fix it. Recently, they broke the wall in their shower. My wife was going to repair it. Long story short, I asked her what lesson she was teaching her sons by ALWAYS taking care of their problems/messes. She replied with, "I know...nothing." And I told her, no you're definitely teaching them something. You're teaching them that they will ALWAYS have you to take care of all of their problems, so they're learning they're not accountable/responsible for anything in life. Mommy will always be there for them. So, this weekend, they're repairing the wall in their shower. If they don't do a good job, they'll be doing it again...and again until it's good.

Bottom line, all behavior is learned at some point. We, as parents, need to decide how we want our kids to end up, and teach them that behavior that will get them to succeed in life starting at an early age. Coddling kids only breaks them.