Some MP, pontificatingon the radio about the London rioters,got me thinking.

'There is a big difference between those with money and those without', is one reason put forward for the violence and looting.

To suggest povertyleads to violence is humiliating for people who, through illness ordisability can't work but lead blameless lives.

In Victorian times, the poor were halfstarved, living in slums, whilst the rich displayed excessive wealth.

The key to partial understanding of the minds of the looters lies in the fact that theyleft bookshops alone, but targetedplaces that sold sports trainers, mobile phones and electrical gadgets. These were not starving mobs calling for bread, but picky people, looking for luxury goods, people used to living high on the hog, eating take-aways most nights.

Bad behaviour has its roots in bad motheringbut I'll leave that for now so Ican free my mindand make a few suggestions.

We'll begin with books. (I wonder how many illiterates were on the rampage? Yes, yes, I know there were all sorts but I'd still like to know.)

I loved story time when I taught young children and so did they.

Jung said we learn through symbol and myth.A good storyalways teaches something.

I've forgotten the title of one of my favourites but I'll give you the bones. There were two sisters, aged about seven, (first rule of story telling: make sure the listenerscan identify with the subject) always moaning.

Their beds were too small, they wanted separate bedrooms, more butter on their bread, more toyson their birthdays.

What did their exasperated mother do? She put the two of them in one small bed, gave them less butter, less toys. After a few days,they were allowed toreturn to their separate beds,have their usual share of the butter and she gave them a toy each.

'And they were very happy and never moaned again. The End.'

The class gave me a good clap for that one.

'Hands up who liked it?' Everyone.

'Why?'. They were taught a lesson'.'They stopped moaning'. 'They got a toy each'. 'They got back to their own beds'.

Justice had been done, order restored. Children don't like chaos, unpredictable behaviour.

We have to teach responsibility and we can. I'll go into that next time.