The mom sat smiling as her Damien look-alike wreaked havoc on the beauty shop.  He kicked the stylist, called her names, and when the hair cut was finally finished he hurled himself on the floor screaming that he hated his new look.

So, you may ask, what did the mother do?  With a smile that never left her lips, she handed the owner a coupon for the free gift with a child's cut.

Is it just me or does it seem like more and more children today are being raised without the benefit of discipline?

Raising children has changed since my parents raised me.  When I was young, all my mother had to do was give me that certain look.  My siblings and I knew better than to act up.

My daughters learned, at an early age, that no meant no.  They learned to interpret that a harsh look from me meant they were pushing their luck.  Time-outs taught them a consequence for bad behavior.

It's a different story today.

I'm not saying that all young moms are shirking their parental responsibility, but lately I see a lot of situations like the one in the beauty shop.

While it's true that it is no one's business how another chooses to raise their children, a beauty shop full of women that morning bit their tongues in unison.  What do these mothers think?  Or, better yet, what do these children think when they aren't getting the discipline they so desperately and obviously need?

On the way home from the salon, I stopped at the grocery store and witnessed yet another similar situation.  There I was faced to face with Molly the monster.  Her frazzled mom wasn't smiling -- she was too busy putting back the items her little one was ripping from the shelves.  I noticed that she also never took the time to discipline this unruly child.

Somehow I felt sorry for this mom, whose pint sized terror had her jumping through hoops.  We shared an awkward smile and as I passed her by I quietly said a prayer.

If children are not taught self control they will never have self esteem.  Their lives will always be more chaotic than calm.

Teaching children when they're young to be respectful will produce self respecting adults.  Discipline is showing your child you care.  It is love with an ever present guiding hand -- in the right direction.

The benefit is children you can take out in public and be proud of.

 -- Kathy Whirity   <kathywhirity @ yahoo.com>