Originally Posted by
Jay.
From a very early age you understand the word no. It's weird but my nephew is 18 months. He's currently learning to talk and only knows like 6 words and doesn't know how he's using them, before he knew how to speak any of that or before he could walk, he knew and still knows, the word no. If you say no - he will stop what he is doing. He might have a little hissy fit when you say no, but he will not continue to do what he was doing. Why? Because when he does, he is punished.
Once he's been put to bed or I've taken away his toys for messing with the TV controls and I said no but he didn't listen, next time I said no to the controls he stopped. At 18 months, he is being punished for his actions and knows right and wrong by the TV.
Then we get onto about 5 years of age and the child is in education. They are taught right and wrong within school and they are punished within school. The punishments are more severe in schools because they are capable of more serious wrong actions. The actions are punished and the child knows.
I think the age of 8 is the right age for a person to be held accountable for their actions, within reason. By law, all Primary Schools are forced to teach kids as young as 5 the basic aspects of the law. Not to steal, not to cause harm to someone else. Once taught they know the difference between right and wrong and they'll match those new laws they've learned to the other forbidden things within school or home they have been punished for. Someone at the age of 8 should be held responsible if they have broken a law they know about.
18? No way!