To the editor
Parents should be held accountable for out of control behaviour of their kids after last week’s joyride by 10 youths across the far north.
Courts must be compelled to make parents take responsibility for their children’s crime sprees.
Imposing monetary penalties is a waste of time because in most cases parents simply do not have the capacity to pay for any damages and in any case would not impact on their children’s attitude.
Instead parents should be forced to participate in parenting programs which show them how to kick the takeaway food and sugar quick-fix habit and replace it with quality, nutritious food.
From my 30 year experience in the development of the successful Petford Program managing substance and alcohol rehabilitation, excess sugar consumption is the prime driver of anti-social behaviour in people of all ages.
I implore other community organisations in the north to work together to combat this plague and our group is always available to assist.
Parents should be aware poor nutrition directly attributes to impaired learning ability and kids who eat sugary food such as most processed cereals before school have enormous trouble concentrating and displaying good behaviour in class.
Perpetual mobile phone use and playing violent video games also contribute to this world wide malady.
Mass advertising by large food corporations has given sugar and other food ingredients which convert to sugar when consumed, a false identity of being acceptable as a food source.
Commensurate with sugar consumption of two spoons a day in 1850, it is now measured in kilograms and society is plagued by wide spread youth behavioural problems.
I am not attacking the sugar industry in any way but I suggest converting their product to ethanol would be far more socially responsible than producing edible sugar.
Yours faithfully,
Geoff Guest OAM,
Petford