Sue, I hear you on the youth allowance CRAP. I cannot believe the amount of teens that think it's pocket money for them. This is of course fuelled by their friends that (for some STUPID reason) are allowed to get it for themselves.

They get very irate and uppity when you spend "their" money on things like schoolbooks, food and the roof over their heads don't they?

However, you didn't have to agree to the children receiving the money directly. All these councellors you see - did any of them support you to be a strong parent and not continually give everything to your children? Did you not see this would give them a baseless sense of entitlement? When you say no they get angry, but when you always cave in they know you will do so. Toddlers and teens are pretty much the same in the boundaries department.

You have to have a look at your part in the picture - and as a parent that is a very large part.