Quote Originally Posted by nik0tine
We don't know the childs situation at home. (At least, I think we don't. I haven't read through the majority of this thread so forgive me if I am speaking out of ignorance.) We cannot say that "discipline" is the problem here. In fact, I don't think discipline even plays much of a factor here. I think there is a lack of love in that childs household, and that could very well be the reason as to why she is acting the way she is.
When I was that age, my father would be gone for weeks at a time, and my stepmother wouldn't give a damn either way unless we did something wrong (mostly at school, and with me, mostly not doing my homework), in which case, she'd wake me up when she got home, beat the hell out of me, then tell my dad when he got home--even if it was two weeks away--and he would beat the hell out of me too. I don't think children act unruly because there's a "lack of love", it's because they don't respect their parents, or authorities of any figure. There are two ways for parents to get respect--showing their children "love", and disciplining their children and demanding respect. I would say that showing their children love and disciplining them coincide (because really, do you love your child if you raise 'em up to be an asshole?), but I wouldn't agree that a lack of love is the problem and not a lack of discipline.