TV dinners

The ridiculous announcement today that our Government are going to start a public campaign to get parents and their kids to all sit down together at the table for their evening meals. They want families to talk to eachother once more and discuss their daily happenings, instead of all skulking off to their respective TV sets with their microwaved crap, to never utter a word for the rest of the night.

I'm very interested to see how the Govt intend to enforce this. Erm, they can't! It's up to each family, and if they can't be arsed with the furore of denying little Timmy the pleasure of watching Sponngebob Squarepants while he guzzles down his chemical meals, then they just won't ever bother. To parents today, it's easier to let kids have their own way than risk a yelling match when, heaven forbid, they try to assert themselves as a parent.

Having just moved into a house that has a kitchen big enough to have a dining table in it, and after over 7 years of TV meals with no table, I delight in sitting down away from the TV and scoffing in peace or in good conversation without someone turning up the volume when I dare to speak. It would do families a great deal of good to have a good convo over their meal, and would improve the communication skills of kids today, who can barely do more than grunt.

I was also pleased to see that teachers are going to be given powers to "restrain disruptive pupils" in schools once more. WHY ON EARTH were these powers removed in the first place?

Only after several expensive court cases and several injured teachers, plus the growing tide of classroom violence, is this stupid "hands off or I sue" law being revoked. We need to get back to the days when you got a clip round the ear if you did not respect your teacher. Lack of respect for authority figures is rife amongst kids today - they walk around arrogantly sneering that they know their rights and you can't touch them, even if they have just spat in your face or keyed your car. I wouldn't think twice of twatting a sarky kid if he ever got in my face, and let the courts try to catch me afterwards.....