Tony Blair has unveiled plans for nearly 80 "supernannies" to help parents tame unruly children.
The Prime Minister said he would spend £4m introducing a national network of experts in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour at the root.
Writing in the Sun as the Government prepares to publish proposals to force more parents to attend parenting classes, Mr Blair said "an overwhelming majority" of people would welcome outside assistance.
"This should be no surprise given the huge popularity of all those television programmes in which experts help parents with their problem kids.
"So I don't believe any Government, particularly one determined to tackle anti-social behaviour, can ignore parents' cries for help," he insisted.
Mr Blair said he wanted experts appointed in 77 areas, adding: "The nanny state argument applied to this is just rubbish. No-one's talking about interfering in a normal family life.
"But life isn't normal if you've got 12-year-olds out every night drinking and creating a nuisance on the street with their parents either not knowing or not caring.
"In these cases, a bit of nannying with sticks and carrots is what the local community needs."
Home Secretary John Reid will give more details of the parenting order plans later. The measures will encourage the courts to order compulsory lessons in a wider number of cases, and may even be extended to parents whose children have been carrying out anti-social behaviour, rather than crimes.
The "supernanny" initiative applies to England only, the Home Office said.
Ken R
Another bit of useless, but expensive, legislation, foisted onto the English by a predominantly Scottish government
Why don't they try it on their own folk first ? Or do they see this as payback for the Poll Tax, which was introduced into Scotland first ?
Whatever way you look at it, if the government can't "nanny" us, then they will spend our money on people who can do it on their behalf
Another bit of useless, but expensive, legislation, foisted onto the English by a predominantly Scottish government 