What age is too young?

Is a 7-year-old child able to know the difference between wrong and right? Do they understand about not harming others - human or animal? If so, is there just something fundamentally wrong with this child?

The boy in this video broke into an Australia zoo. Once in the zoo, he used a rock to beat to death several reptiles. He then proceeded to throw the bodies of those reptiles (along with a few still-living, just for a change of pace) into the resident crocodile's cage. He even climbed one of two fences to get closer to the crocodile.

Here's the kicker - there is absolutely nothing that can be done about it. In this part of Australia, a child under the age of 10 cannot be charged for a crime, and apparently, their parents cannot be charged as being in any way responsible either. Not for the Breaking & Entering, and not for the killing. So that makes me wonder - who gets held responsible for this horror? Not only for the estimated $5,500 worth of dead animals, but for the wanton waste of life?

The zoo director has said he plans to sue the parents, but how is that going to teach this child exactly how wrong what he did was? This seems to be an unpopular position in this day and age, but how are they going the teach this child about being responsible for his actions, and that all actions - positive or negative - have consequences?

If either of my children were to EVER do anything like that, regardless of age, there would be several things happening:

1. They would be responsible, over time, for the cost of the animals. I don't believe 7 is too young to start chores, and their allowance would go towards the zoo. Every. Single. Week.
2. They would spend HOURS working at the zoo, trying to undo some of the damage. Probably for the rest of their natural-born lives. And if I had any say in it, the main job would be picking up poo. Lots and lots of poo.
3. Their little butts would be glowing in the dark.
4. They would be entered in counseling IMMEDIATELY.
5. They would be making a trip to the local police station and/or juvenile hall. Get an idea of where they would be if they had been older, and where they WILL be if they continue with this kind of activity.

Of course, we are in the minority as far as believing that children can learn about such outdated notions as: responsibility, consequences, sanctity of life (even a lizard!), and OH YEAH - breaking the law!

See, the school of thought these days seems to be that children cannot understand those things until they are around age 18. At which time, it will no longer matter because they are no longer going to listen to a single thing anyone says anyway! Let 'em get to that age without teaching them, and you've lost your opportunity. That's why we have so many young idiots wandering around. Their parents wanted to be friends rather than parents and teachers.

Listen up, people! They may not *understand* the concepts, but they sure as hell can still learn about them! Then when all their brain matter (hopefully) falls into place at whatever age it happens to be, they will have the teaching and will hopefully realize that what they do matters. That the Golden Rule is there for a reason. And that B&E is illegal and that killing is not condoned.

Or, we could just wait for our future Jeffrey Dahmer's to make their presence known...