[raybbr]

And common sense can save one's life.

Can you teach common sense?

[the Deejay]

Common sense in taught from the toddler stage.

Example:

"The power plug will bite you!"

[RightField]

I think you can teach common sense by having kids bear the brunt of their actions (within reason, of course) starting at a very early age. Make them realize that their actions and decisions have consequences, good and bad.

Don't take their lunch or homework to them at school if they forget. Make them clean up their messes. I once made my daughter get some money from her piggy bank to pay for the ham and cheese she left out on the table until it was so dried and curled up that I had to throw it out. She was about 9 years old, but it never ever happened again.

I was affectionately known as a mean Mom. But things in our house rarely got broken or lost, and my furniture stayed fairly decent throughout 28 years of raising kids. They always knew they would have to make something right if they caused a problem because of their negligence or inattention. They took chances and got into trouble, of course, but they knew neither Dad nor I would tolerate any notion of blaming someone else for what they had done.

[sarasota]

I think the best way to "teach common sense" is to be the best of example of same. And talk about all the options as you go through life with your kids, friends, etc.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Can you teach common sense?

Yes. It's called upbringing.