I am a parent, and I do think parents are getting lazy. I read reviews, because the ratings are not good at catching inappropriate material.

We need to do a better job of balancing child space versus adult space. Children should be banned entirely out of some ratings, movies, music areas, and times for TV (8pm on) so adults can relax and enjoy unadulterated entertainment that is not appropriate for kids. Child friendly rules have been creeping upward into adult space for years. Remember when people got mad that parents tried to censor Beavis and Butthead based on influencing children, and the parents got criticized for allowing their children to be up at 9pm, an "adult" hour? MySpace started out for adults to learn about bands, and now kids want to invade the adult areas and sue when they get into trouble? Maybe more onus needs to be put on parents and kids to stay out of adult space.

We need to return the R rating to movies aimed at adults, and ban the kids outright from R. That way, we won't have six year olds screaming in fright or asking "what's oral sex"? at pivotal points in an R rated movie, disturbing the adults and themselves (think six year old in "Kill Bill II- not happy for the adult filmgoers or the kid). Too many adults take the kids into inappropriate places because they live far from relatives and don't want to pay a "stranger" to babysit, or they are 19-22 and can't afford babysitters. If you can't get babysitting, wait for the DVD.

We also need to get adults out of "childspace". It's ok to have movies that bore adults because they are for kids. If you are at Pizza Hut or Fridays, complaining about children's behavior makes no sense. My favorite was the people who went to Ice Age and then complained about kids running in the aisles. It's a kid's movie. In shared space, some adults need to learn to be more tolerant of children's behaviors.

If they posted less, called fewer names, and didn't claim to be personally attacked when the name calling and cheap debate tactics are called out.

I'm an independant, and I vote by issues, not party. Don, you don't seem to talk about issues. You call names, repeat the same accusations over and over with no evidence (how about a link?), and have lots of time on your hands. Which Lieberman stances are better than Lamont stances? Econmy? Globalization? Immigration? Are these in line with the needs of the middle class (economic stability, access to health care, education, transport and energy prices, inflation, access to housing, etc)?

There's a large contingent out here who really don't care about Lieberman's support for the Iraq policy. We also don't think all evil in America flows from it. This administration may not be running it well, but if the far left is going after Lieberman soley because of Iraq, they won't be getting many votes. The far left may be obsessed with Iraq, but the rest of us are worried about getting laid off. Give Iraq a rest, and talk about the economy, the creeping tax bite for the working and middle class veresu the rich, corporate corruption, health care, jobs, immigration, housing, access to birth control, etc. How is Lamont better? What does he stand for?

Thank you Mr. Conanson for this article. Lieberman needs to talk, fast. What did his wife do as a consultant for big Pharma? If he won't talk, he should kiss the Senate goodbye. We have too many bought and paid for hypocrites in Congress who screw middle class people for corrupt interests right now. Throw the bums out!

More issues, less name calling!

OK Streetfighters. ROund two, FIIIIIIGHT!

"kids doing too much homework was not a problem. ever."

Amen. American kids do less homework, and work, on average, than other industrialized nations. The kids themselves admit they don't work hard enough. Very few middle and elementary schools give four hours of homework, either. If kids spent less time at the mall, on the computer, or goofing with their friends, and more time studying, they would do better. If more parents were comfortable with letting schools discipline, and enforced respectful behavior, students would behave better, it would be easier to teach, and students would learn more. IF PARENTS EXPECTED MORE FROM THEIR KIDS, rather than blaming the teachers, I doubt we would be having this discussion. Parental and teacher expectations are incredibly powerful, and play a massive role in academic and life success. We worry too much about socialization, and too little about academic achievement.

If the schools could jettison some of the "social", they'd have more time for the academic. I'd love to see sex ed, drugs, character education, etc "privatized" the way vaccinations are. Let the churches and Planned Parenthood do it, so the schools could spend more time on subjects.

As for homework being boring, work and life are not always going to be picnics, either. Homework reinforces the lessons and the discipline needed for success. For some subjects, repetition (the multiplication tables, doing algebra and trig problems, etc) are necessary to get a firm foundation. Taking sentences apart in english, memorizing spelling lists, etc are also necessary for a foundation. It's not glamorous, but most of life isn't.

Kids in high school need more homework, not less. They also need better attitudes and more discipline. A few less gadgets would probably help, too. American media praises "cool" and disrespects academic achievement in school. It all comes together to create problematic academic achievement.