What is your opinion on hitting children?

Question

I cought my mother-in-law hitting my 1 year old son because he spilled milk. I was so outraged.... how can anyone hit a baby...

Answer 1

Totally against hitting a child. You should have a serious talk with your mother-in-law about her form of discipline, by the way she's not even suppose to be reprimanding your child, you should be. You and your husband are responsible for your child and should decide on your own disciplinarian technique which involves not hitting.

Answer 2

I don't believe is hitting children! Maybe a small tap on the behind is okay but hitting is wrong. For just spilling his milk is not a good reason for hitting him! I would speak to her about it and let her know how you feel on this! Also make sure you talk your husband about this and have his full agreement on your feelings. Your son is only 1 yrs old he is just learning and hitting is not the way to teach him! If your MIL has a problem with it the she is not to be left alone with your son! I have caught me Brother in law doing that to my girls and I went up side of him and down the other! Since then he doesn't talk to me much and that's fine with me!

Answer 3

Slappping the back of baby's hands & bottom of butt are routinely accepted in my book as necessary discipline for children to learn. It's fine to be outraged if you're so sanctimonious to be elsewhere while your child is being attended by your spouse's mother, the same mother, I presume, that raised your spouse. Now if this woman has become abusive, certainly there needs to be more than outrage expressed & delt with accordingly, but...I am answering with the idea that it wasn't abusive, merely correctional. If the activity of spilt milk was replaced with an electrical socket & a key, would the child benefit from any learning experience by merely turning off the main power supply?
This wreaks of the mother-in-law syndrome.
I'm 300% for strict discipline early to instill learning opportunities for the prevention of far more serious issues later.
Thanks for asking! Glad I got no children, mothers-in-law or your outrage. Please be sure to have a nice day. K-den, plus 2!

Answer 4

A 1 year old is too young to be hit. That's outrages...does this crazy women believe that small children are prone to simple accidents? She needs therapy.
As the child gets older and when you must show some discipline with a little smack on the butt or hand with a firm NO I believe is OK. But there is no excuse for her actions. Not knowing her age, but as one gets older they don't always have the tolerants with little ones as they did when they were young. She doesn't need to be watching your children.

Answer 5

I spank my older children by swatting them on the butt, however hitting a 1 year old for spilling milk is outrageous. You are right in being upset with you. I think you should go talk to her and let her know what is and isnt acceptable behavior when she is dealing with your child.

Answer 6

I would've beat the crap out of the mother in-law. Spilled milk come on. I only believe in spankings when the child does something seriously wrong not spilling milk or not eating their food.

Answer 7

Moderation is the keyword when a young child [ 3 yrs and over] does bad things he should be punished for that by just hitting him calmly on his hand because if he is not punished he won't know the difference between bad and good things.however,hitting a baby less than 3 yrs this is impossible and so weird...you should tell your mother-in-low this but in a nice way.

Answer 8

I can tell you this no one has the right to hit a child.
Only the parents have that right and that is with in reason.
Spilling milk is not one of them.
If that would have been my mother-in-law or mother her a** would have been on the floor in about 10 seconds flat.
NO one touches my kids or they have me to deal with. The school even tried to punish my kids for stupid stuff and they lost big time. NO one takes away my responsibility of teaching my kids right from wrong.
My kids My Rules.

Answer 9

Your mother-in-law would right now be wearing two black eyes if it would have been me in your shoes. I spank my children regularly, but not for something so ridiculous. She's not at all responsible enough to be left alone with any child whatsoever, and is the exact type that shouldn't be trusted when it comes to children. Do your child a favour and keep your mother-in-law away.

Answer 10

I think kids need to be disciplined! I remember when I was a kid and got spankings. It did not mean that my parents did not love me or care for me, it meant the exact opposite. You want to know why society and the world is the way it is today? This is why! Kids today get away with murder and no one says or does anything about it in fear of what might happen! It good to put a foot up a kids a@! every now and then! Keep them in check and let them know who the boss is.