M. Ted said, "Kids nowadays just laugh at authority, and there is no effective sanctions teachers or parents can apply" a ridiculous statement..."

I'm not so sure, Ted. When I was raising my kids, I had one daughter who was completely out of control when she was 15, the only one who was ever a problem. She skipped school even when I drove her there and watched her go in the door -- she would go out another door that I couldn't see. When she went to bed at night and I was sure she was home, and would go to sleep myself, she would sneak out. In other words, she did all sorts of things that were dangerous: smoking, drinking, partying, sleeping around, etc.

At my wits' end, and after she refused to go for individual or family counselling, I went to the police to find out what I could do -- could I take any physical action. The answer was no, I couldn't. I wasn't allowed to lock her in her room, lock the house so she couldn't get back in at night (the "tough love" response), or physically compel her in any way to respect the family's way of life.

At the same time, if she committed any kind of crime at all, I was responsible, as she was a minor.

The story has a happy ending -- she outgrew this ugly phase and is a wonderful young woman. We are very close.

But what is a parent to do when their kid is right over the top and the law ties their hands? I didn't want to beat her -- I simply wanted to prevent her from doing what she was doing, physically if necessary. I had absolute responsibility and absolutely no authority.