Discipline & Crazy Rules!

Something that has really disturbed me over the years is watching parents discipline with crazy rules. My kids know what I mean, because I have pointed these rules out to them for YEARS. Let me give you an example: 4 year old roaming the neighborhood without any supervision. Parents find out they have caused some sort of problem so they ground them from a holiday, say, HALLOWEEN, even though it is 8 months away. When Halloween came around, yup, no trick-or-treating for that kid! I am not making this up. Or, children can't play with face cards, but they can be left unattended everyday, while both parents work, equipped with computers and cable TV. Or, absolutely no sleepovers ('cause you can't trust anyone!) UNTIL you are 13 (really? when do you think it's more dangerous?)or until 18-22 years old and then your boyfriend can spend the night regularly because it is too late to go home. Or, you are in church and the kids in front of you are smacked up side the head because they poked each other. Or, children used sidewalk chalk on the porch and so they are given a scrub brush and comet to clean it off immediately. (Probably rained later that afternoon.) Or, telling your kids "I don't care what you think". I believe that most behaviors have built in consequences. Good behaviors, good consequences. Bad behaviors, bad consequences. I rarely had to discipline my kids (probably because they are perfect) as their actions usually had some sort of "punishment" of its own. I don't think I ever grounded one of my kids; ok, maybe once or twice. I figured that it would only be punishing ME! Since this is a favorite subject of mine, I will probably revisit it from time to time. Any thoughts from anyone?