With all the talk of how kids "don't understand the full consequences of their actions until puberty," we need to be careful in assuming that it only begins then. It does not. This cognitive development begins as soon as the children are born. They figure out which behaviors get them what they need. When they start to walk, talk, and be told "NO!" they begin to grasp that their behavior affects themselves and others. This concept needs to develop over time and with training from adults. Adults train children by using discipline, and talking to them about what they did and how their behavior affected another person - positively or negatively. Then, by the time a child reaches puberty, he/she should start to fully connect with consequences - immediate and long-term, emotionally and physically. However, as kids become more involved in relationships in and outside of the family, they will continue to make mistakes and still need parental guidance - talking and modeling of behavior - in order to think about their needs and those of others.