Parental Discipline Deficit Disorder

The end of civilization is nearer.

Jim Coyle of the Toronto Star summed it up in this essay, introducing the latest "give it a medical name so everyone has something to blame it on": Parental Discipline Deficit Disorder. Surely, you've seen adults afflicted with this condition: those who have abrogated their responsibility to teach their children the difficult and important lessons in life; those who cater to their children's whims, desires, tantrums; those adults too afraid to say 'no' to the little person who rules their lives.

In his column, Mr. Coyle included a reference to the recent book, "Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank." Oh how I wish I'd been clever enough to think to market that blog rant into a book. I love imagining the author pitching the concept to a publisher.

Courtesy of my sister, Christine, here's the latest, and perhaps lowest (although I'm sure someone somewhere is slithering under this low rung): "Fashion house accused of marketing children as "little sexual beings," grooming them for sexual predators with a T-shirt featuring the slogan "Future Porn Star".

People thought I was nuts when I protested my then-six-year-old niece singing Britney Spears's “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” complete with pole-dancing stripper moves. If only the world had listened....

What kind of call to action is necessary for today’s parents to take charge? Sadly, the majority can’t say no to their children; how will they protest fashion and media sexploitation of children?