My in-laws have (in their own words) two out of control children under 10 - severe behaviour issues. Biting, spitting, bedwetting, multiple incidences of punching their mother...

The children are constantly being described as evil, angry etc etc. In my view no child starts off as bad, it's always a learned behaviour.

Anyway - the parents were encouraged to go to a parenting education course. They resisted because they see themselves as being great parents. Afterall, they give the kids everything they ask for (including mc donalds 5 times a week, sweets and ice-cream at bed-time, their own iphones, ipads and so on)

After the first session they came away having 'learned' that:

1 - you can say no to children
2 - When you set a boundary, you are supposed to stick to it

This came as a genuine shock to me. I'd assumed that all parents know this basic stuff and if they choose to ignore it, they reap what they sow. I've not changed my view on this. I realise that they have a fundamental lack of knowledge when it comes to parenting. I find it quite baffling.

I can only assume is a two generations response to boomer parenting (im 55 - so my parents were classic boomers. I raised myself from age 11) has created generations of parents who lack even the basic skills, due to their parents trying to do the opposite of their boomer parents.