Letter: It's hard enough being a parent

From Mrs Diane Atkinson

Sir: I write regarding your open letter to Peter Kerry (28 February), who stole his father's passport and escaped on the first flight out. The incident that preceded this dash for freedom probably involved more than just a bowl of dropped spaghetti but, nevertheless, articles like Alix Sharkey's demonstrate how difficult a job parents have these days. As well as being a mother of four children, I am a teacher of the 11-18 age group and am not impressed at the increasing number of children who have little sense of value or ever stop to think of others.

What effect will this article have on teenagers of this age group who think they know more of life than any adult, who have been given the go- ahead to rush to social services or the police if they receive a "clip on the ear" for wrongdoing, who, when sent to their bedrooms, slip out and stay away half the night, who steal from their parents and are given the message "this is the spirit that made this country great".

Yours faithfully,

DIANE ATKINSON

Chelmsford,

Essex

28 February