Understanding んじゃないでしょうか


A teacher was too nice, lost control of her class and then slapped one of
them. Another teacher is trying to comfort her:

> 私も少し甘やかしすぎる方だから、子供たちにはいいクスリになったんじゃないでしょうか。  
>  Because I also spoil them too much the children learnt a lesson, didn't
> they?

I always get confused with endings like んじゃないでしょうか. My translation makes no
sense. I assume he is saying that the kids didn't learn a lesson because he
spoils them too much, but I don't see how this can mean that they **didn't**
learn a lesson.

What is the actual meaning of this sentence and how do I parse it correctly?




Your translation of いいクスリになったんじゃないでしょうか seems perfect to me. It does say "the
children learnt a lesson, didn't they?"

I agree that the first half of the sentence does not serve as the _direct_
reason for what's said in the last half, but this sentence would make sense if
you understand the context. This だから was used referring to something shared by
the two teachers but unsaid in this sentence -- being too nice is not good,
and sometimes children need to be physically disciplined.

You can interpret this sentence like this:

> (As a teacher, **being too nice is a bad thing**. But) I also tend to spoil
> them too much. _Therefore_ , I think the children learnt a (necessary and
> valuable) lesson (from _you_ ).




Your translation of いいクスリになったんじゃないでしょうか seems perfect to me. It does say "the
children learnt a lesson, didn't they?"

I agree that the first half of the sentence does not serve as the _direct_
reason for what's said in the last half, but this sentence would make sense if
you understand the context. This だから was used referring to something shared by
the two teachers but unsaid in this sentence -- being too nice is not good,
and sometimes children need to be physically disciplined.

You can interpret this sentence like this:

> (As a teacher, **being too nice is a bad thing**. But) I also tend to spoil
> them too much. _Therefore_ , I think the children learnt a (necessary and
> valuable) lesson (from _you_ ).

