spiked-central | Letter

I wouldn't worry too much about this catching on (Parents: we are not the law, 5 September).

The vast majority of kids with antisocial and criminal behavioural tendencies come from single-mother homes. As soon as this becomes clear, and single moms are punished for bad parenting, then every feminist victim industry icon will be up in arms defending these martyrs. I'm sure, however, that they'll find a way to make it all dad's fault.

Carri Venable, USA

I loved Jennie Bristow's article about Tony Blair's 'Parents are shit' speech (Parents: we are not the law, 5 September).

Please go to the Fassit website, and have your eyes well and truly opened to what's actually going on. Blair's speech is only the tip of the iceberg.

Adele R, UK

Jennie Bristow argues: 'In this sense, a parent's admonition to "Do it because I tell you so!" might seem less effective in the immediate term than the ASBO officer's demand to "Do it because it's the law!", but it is ultimately capable of moulding behaviour in a way that official warnings are not. You love your mum, you couldn't care less about the ASBO officer.' (Passing the book, 5 September)

When the parent backs their child against all others, including beating up other kids, then perhaps the ASBO officer's demand to 'Do it because it's the law!' does make some sense. It may be over the top, but it's needed.

Niel JP Fagan, UK

It is a truth universally acknowledged that children taken into care by the state end up more badly behaved, more badly educated, and are more likely to end up with poorly paid jobs, teenage pregnancies and criminal records, than any other sector of children in society (Parents: we are not the law, 5 September).

So-called professionals make a complete hash of 'protecting' and 'looking after' children. The idea that the state can prescribe what parents should do, and can make them do it, doesn't seem to be working very well in children's homes and with foster parents. Extending the loveless 'correct' childrearing methods more widely will be counterproductive, and will make things even worse. Unfortunately, there's no universally accepted method of childrearing guaranteed to produce loving, well-behaved and well-balanced children.

Governments need to provide solutions to problems, not just identify problems and chuck some half-baked, back-of-the-envelope suggestions in for good measure. Tony Blair has been in power for eight years. A generation of children is growing up under his government. If they aren't turning out to be respectful, then perhaps Blair might address what his government has done to make it harder for parents to impose discipline upon their children - like making smacking an offence if it shows a mark.

Peter Hollander, UK