If your child was a brat, would you know it?

It's all about expectations. People's expectations of children's behaviour seem to be getting lower and lower as the years go by. I was born when my brother had just turned 2 years old. Before my birth my brother accompanied my mother to all of her doctors appointments, and while she was being examined or whatever she would expect him to sit still on a chair and hold her handbag. And he did it. How many parents would expect that from a child less than 2 these days? And he was no angel, he could be like any other child, but when certain behaviour was expected of him, he (usually!) complied. These days parents don't expect kids to behave themselves, and they let them get away with horrible behaviour. When I got married a relative's 2 kids were really during the sit down meal - rushing about, talking loudly during the speeches, and coming perilously close to knocking my wedding cake over (If that had happened I doubt this relative and I would still be on speaking turns as I would have had serious words with her and her children!) They weren't toddlers either, but other people just laughed their behaviour away as 'boys will be boys!' I don't think that's an excuse. Yes, I do believe that boys often are naturally a little more boisterous and active than (some) girls, but that's all the more reason to monitor their behaviour more closely and discipline them when necessary. I also think that parents don't like discipling their children, as they are worried that their children won't love them as much, or they don't want to be seen as the 'bad guy.' Or, they just don't want to deal with the hle of following through on a punishment that they have threatened. I don't have kids yet, but I am a teacher, and like to think that when I have children then I will have high expectations of good behaviour from them, and if I notice that they are little brats then I would definitely do something about it!