Are older adoptive parents more likely than younger moms and dads to take a sweet and innocent child and turn him or her into a monster?

Can a stomach for bratty behavior develop with a paunch?

Those like me, adopting later in a 'second round' of seeing action as a mother or father, not only have practice, but also through the clarity of hindsight benefit from our mistakes and see which parenting techniques paid off. Maybe.

New older parents who've been lifelong members in the Adore-Others'-Children-From-Afar fan club may have missed the results of indulgence and letting kids grow up with a skewed knowledge of consequence. Friends and relatives could be far less ready to share the antics and adventures of their kids when there's more to report than harassing the dog or rubbing gravy in their sister's hair during a restaurant meal.

A very unattractive sense of entitlement, a lack of appreciation, and an inability to self-motivate are often all a child is equipped with to cope through an adulthood that stretches out half a century or more ahead.

People who have been around for 40 or 50 years know how hard life's lessons can be, so should be prepared to do the tough stuff necessary to give their kids a hand ... and I'm not talking a round of applause for not tossing dinner on the floor.

For an example of a kid not concerned about consequences, how about the Easter Party Girl? The seventeen-year-old advertised a party at her house ... a 'my parents are away, so let's PARTY!' invite on MySpace ... that got one heck of a response. Hundreds showed up. Her parents returned to a vomit, cigarette butt and urine soaked house that's costing $54,000 to clean up.

The punishment?

"The teenager is staying with a friend for a 'cooling off' period as agreed with her parents."

That'll teach her.

Lauri's Adoptive Parenting Blog addresses toddler discipline, and here's an oldie but a goodie from former blogger, Michelle, almost a year ago.