Hooligans.
So, apparently Britain isn’t a good place for kids.
I can believe it. All it takes is a cursory look around any British town centre to see the state of Britain’s youth. Surly kids in hoodies looking threatening, teenage mothers everywhere, teenage shoplifters being carted away in police vans, all the reports of teenage drug dealers, burglars, muggers, car thieves… not to mention their complete and utter lack of manners and societal graces.
On the plus side, the ones that do manage to bypass this infectious youth culture turn out OK - I did. Those who are subject to good schooling, good parenting and proper discipline, and who are brought up to respect other people and the world and think for themselves still stand a chance, but there seems to be fewer people like this than ever.
I don’t know what the answer is. More discipline at home and at school perhaps? More responsibility for the parents? Possibly. But I think it goes a lot deeper than that. Kids need ambition and the drive to work towards it. Society is setting them a bad example by showing them that people with no ambition, drive or apparent intelligence can get by in life and this needs to end. Having a kid in your teens is practically a career choice for some people out there - you get a free house and free money to spunk away on Iceland ready meals, Lambert & Butlers and Super Tennants. These things would be a start though - Bring back grammar schools and corporal punishment, and do away with the benefits that encourage kids to be unemployed, get rid of the culture of celebrating the loser (May she rest in peace, but Jade Goody has a lot to answer for) and encourage the media not to cater to the lowest common denominator.
So, where is the best English-speaking place to bring up kids? Not the UK, obviously. Not the US either - I won’t subject any hypothetical kid of mine to the US healthcare system, the insular education system or having to do the pledge of allegiance. South Africa? Not if you don’t want to get shot. Canada’s supposed to be quite good, as is Australia. And Ireland was the highest-placed English-speaking country in the European rankings.
