Sir, - To re-iterate Christy Maloney's point (May 7th), I ask the question: how many parents practice or understand the art of unconditional love? A child scorned, threatened, shouted at in anger for poor behaviour does not appreciate the disciplinary benefit of such acts. The child sees only the result of such behaviour: my parents have put their love for me on hold. In other words, I behave, they love me; I misbehave, they do not love me. The devastating effects of such practice were illustrated in the brilliant film Shine. Unconditional love is a skill acquired over time through awareness and understanding; it is not something inherited. By the age of 25 the average person will have spent 36,000 hours in education. How many of these hours will be spent studying the art of parenting? - Yours, etc.,
Carl Cautley, Bramley View, Castleknock, Dublin 15.