Mischief rule as a principle of lawmaking has been lost

When I think of mischief, I think of boys, or of boyhood.  Mischief really is the essence of being a boy. Mothers know this, and they either grit their teeth in frustration, or relax their lips in smiling content. Deep down, I believe all mothers know that to take the mischief out of their boys is to take their boys out of their boyhood.

Mischief means unbridled fun, experimentation, and that strong urge to break down boundaries and rules, and see what lies beyond. It may be vexing, it may cause petty annoyance, but it is a phase of growth that boys pass through, an innocuous rite of passage that only loses its innocence when the boy finally becomes conscious of it.