When my kids, still in primary school had the chance to look at a booklet outlining Shore school rules years ago, they laughed. It was so full of silly, arbitrary rules and an absurd hierarchy of punishments, it made no sense to them. They had never needed “punishment”, per se...

...while they were perfectly familiar with the idea of facing consequences for their actions. The trouble with a punitive, rule-bound approach is that it engenders resentment and push-back when it’s seen as unfair or not based on reason. When it comes down to “because I say”,...

...it removes any investment on the part of the kid regarding the reason for the rule. When they get to the end of school with no sense of *why* we are decent, just “these are the rules”, is it any surprise they see breaking them as the only alternative?

Schools and parents are failing kids when they fail to cultivate empathy and good judgement. The enforcement of pointless rules and punishments are the very antithesis of cultivating empathy and good judgement.