Jno, I would have said �from year dot�, but I doubt if that would have been understood.
Sophie_1003 has got it right.
As a child (I�m now 71), I really got some hidings from my Mother, with anything she could lay her hands on. BUT! I loved her dearly, and now understand why she was like she was. I have only been to court twice, two divorces and once driving a motorcycle, carrying a pillion passenger on L-plates, I have never been in trouble with the police, and also have a completely clean driving licence (since 1960).
I am no saint, but was taught right from wrong.
Take a good look at the children today (There ARE a lot of good ones). They go out of their way to be destructive, they plan it at school. They work in gangs, mugging old and young alike. Bullying is rife, Stabbings are going on. The Fire and ambulance services are being attacked while trying to do their job�. A police programme I saw last night, said children as young as six are doing this. Smacking them might not work on some of them, but it would certainly cut it down. The trouble is, that in some cases, the good children, see that the bad ones get away with misbehaving, so they will begin to wonder why they should be good.
As I�ve said I am 71 years old, and am glad that I�m on my way out, as in another ten years time, I dread to think what it will be like. To all �do gooders�, you made your bed, now you can lie in it.