How come over 3000 Sydney girls aged 12 to 14 were out and about, many unsupervised, at 3am?

They wanted to see an under-age entertainer — and their parents either hadn’t tried to, or at least succeeded in, stopping them.

The tinies wouldn’t do what the police told them, so they almost crushed each other to death.

The entertainment was called off and the children told journalists the thing was badly organised and that they were hard done by.

Police say lack of parental supervision was why they cancelled the performance.

But are parents allowed to supervise children?

Don’t children have rights that trump any authority parents might try to exert?

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Parents are forever being told they should “listen to their children”.

In the context of the internet porn-filter debate, we got lectured by experts saying things like:

 “For young people everywhere online communication and social networking sites form an important part of social identity construction and it’s not realistic to simply ban children from connecting and communicating online. The answer, as usual, is that we should talk with young people, listen to their concerns and allow them the space to think through and reflect on their own experiences . . . .”

That’s a quote from Nina Funnell, media researcher at the University of NSW, in the Sydney Morning Herald the other day.

Have you ever heard such drivel? Only an academic paid to talk that way could talk that way.

“Net Filter Patronises the Digital Generation”, said the headline . . . .

* * *

If there’s one thing our youth need it is to be patronised.

Sure, the young have a role to play in society.

That role is to keep quiet, to listen to and obey their parents, and to try to grow up — ignoring their so-called peers if they choose to rebel against traditional morals and virtues.

* * *

Ideally children should be with at least one parent for as much of their first 20 years as possible.

One parent staying home isn’t always easy.

Making the necessary sacrifices is an act of generosity which God will reward.