Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly.

I also agree that the problem is really the parents, and their inability to:

a) pay attention to their children, and what they're doing
b) discipline their children.

The idea of the collar was not to be overly cruel to children, so much as give the parents an incentive to do their job properly.

Perhaps we could revise the plan, and put the collars on the parents, but still have them activated by the child's noise?

I'm not saying all parents are bad. There are many good ones (my sister, for example). I'm not saying people shouldn't have children.

I'm saying that if they're going to add to the world's over-population, they should follow-up and take proper responsibility for their spawn.

Can't resist commenting. I have a child whose main job is to challenge me. He is so GOOD! I am on my toes constantly...but what I have discovered is that what he REALLY wants is for me and daddy to be VERY CLEAR about the rules and then NOT to bend them. He just wants to see if he can trust us to mean no when we say no and yes when we mean yes. His job is to test the boundaries and mine is to uphold the boundaries. Luckily he does not have a wimp for a mom and I can send him to bed without supper and not worry that he will starve in the night because he did not have ice cream ... and I have yet to need to pull out the cattle prod to get my point across. I had a neighbor who actually let her little boy touch a cattle fence (live) so that he would learn not to do it again! People are NUTS.

The biggest problem that most responsible parents face is school. You can be a good parent until you are blue in the face, but you send them to school and within half an hour there will be some nasty piece of work who will have taught them all the swear words and shown them how you can make two pounds fifty every time you don't punch someone in the face.

MG, you are absolutely correct. It is not a child's fault if they have not be disciplined. You're not born with a an innate sense of correct and decent behavior. Certain things must be taught and nurtured.

All those kids usually need when they're running around screaming and wreaking havoc is a little attention, usually from the parents!

The children are just being children and the parents are not being responsible adults.

Max, I agree with Jodi, shock treatment is not humane.

Max: I must say that your idea frightens me. Why punish the children for their parents' refusal to properly raise them? If anyone deserves harsh treatment, it's the parents of these kids, not the kids themselves.

I am appalled at the notion of shock treatment as a disciplinary method for anyone. And I am shocked that anyone would want to see an unruly kid pass out.

I've just had a flash of inspiration.

When kids stretch their faces into a grimace, instead of saying "It will freeze that way." the parent should say "Do you know what happens to things if you stretch them too much?" before pulling a rubber band past its elastic limit to demonstrate.

I think the threat of one's face snapping would get the job done.

I'm laughing cruelly as I write this.

So true, Max. So true.

Far more importantly however, most of today's "breeders" should try....um.....not breeding.

And you can imagine my confusion when my parents taught me to question authority at an early age....and then tried to use "Because I Said So!!" as a viable explanation.

"I understand that. Now tell me why you are saying so." I would reply. (Right before getting hung out the window by my ankles.)

That article was so good to read. However, what are the chances that the great masses of incompetent parents in the world today, will read, or for that matter, follow its advice?

I'm talking about all those retards that sit idly by whilst their little Britney, Brandon, or Keanu runs riot around the store, or shrieks with more decibels than a burglar alarm, for (seemingly) no-fucking-reason-whatsoever.

My own solution to this problem is to adapt existing technology. We need to get those anti-bark dog collars - the ones that shock the dog if it barks, and adapt them for use on children.

The new collars will be programmed to either give junior enough volts to knock them off their feet, or to constrict around the brat's throat, until he/she passes out. It would be activated by the childs screeching going over a pre-determined socially acceptable volume.

Is this harsh? No. I didn't spend my childhood screeching and screaming and running amok. I shut the fuck up and sat still when told to by my parents (who never had to swear at me).

It's called responsible parenting, and some of today's breeders should try it.

OK, I can live with the therapy-inducing flashbacks to childhood with "because I say so", but I will not put up with "I told you so."

Phew ... that's a relief! Personally, I prefer "Because I say so, that's why". That end bit just adds a bit of extra impact for the kiddies, imo.