THANK goodness for some common sense on parenting from a senior legal figure!

The country’s most senior family law judge, Sir James Munby, stated the job of parents is to make their children do the things they don’t want to do. And nothing is truer.

He suggested confiscating mobiles and electronic gadgets, grounding teenagers and “threats falling short of brute force” to get their way with their children.

He warned the price of failure could be lifelong pain for parents or, if damage to the child’s health or education was at stake, removal of youngsters by social workers into care.

Sir James was speaking in the Appeal Court during a specific case but his words resonate much more widely about parenting responsibilities.

Parents don’t need to be their children’s best friends, they just need to do their job. Yes, that can be tough, but it is in the child’s best interests.