Pat: http://studentweb.tulane.edu/~hwolod/problems.html

Excerpt: "Bullying is a problem that has become more prominent among Japanese children. It first became important in Japanese society when it became the supposed cause of a rash of suicides among school-aged children in the mid-1980s. Bullying is referred to as ijime. Recently, bullying has manifested itself in the form of exclusion. Children band together to ostracize a particular student, thereby solidifying the group and at the same time asserting their superiority."

Japan had a higher proportion of multigenerational households until far more recently than western cultures. They are just a little behind "us" in the "Bad Teen" stakes.

Haas is right, although "encouraging sport" is a bit vague and many popular sports are little more than gang warfare with scoring.

My mother used to help me with my studies, from primary school to high school. If committments meant she couldn't be with me after school hours I stayed with my grandmother. This means that my behaviour was influenced more by my family (of varying ages and experiences) than my peers (of the same age, and limited experience).

Children will learn behaviour from anybody they're exposed to. In today's schools teachers don't care. If parents also don't put in the time then kids are going to reinforce each other's bad behaviour, often in a effort to fit in and be treated well by the people they spend the most time with.