I was in the grocery store with my daughter and this woman just laid into her son who had to be about 4 or 5 and it made me physically ill. I wanted to say something but I was at a loss for words. What do you do in this situation?
2006-12-07 06:38:55 · 28 answers · asked by lunachick 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
This wasn't a love tap guys. It was brutal and disturbing.
2006-12-07 07:03:23 · update #1
Also, I just want to say that I don't believe that just because someone is having a bad day they should be able to take it out on their child.
2006-12-07 07:09:00 · update #2
I would have called the police. Maintain a safe distance behind her. If she leaves the store make sure you get her license number or direction she is walking so you can tell the police where she went. Hitting someone no matter what age is assualt. A quick swat on the butt or a slap on the hand is acceptable but what you described is illegal and wrong. You don't want to get in the middle of it though because you could get hurt or make the situation worse unless the childs safety is in question. If more people got involved we wouldn't have so many child abuse problems.
2006-12-07 06:44:33 · answer #1 · answered by RayCATNG 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Really what can you say? Are you going to be able to step in and utter a few small words and make this woman stop and change her behavior probably not. However, should this have been like a "beating" and by that I mean hitting or spankig a child anywhere besides their buttocks and hitting those areas in a severly aggressive manner (i..e with great force that will leave marks etc.) Then I would have to say something. It may not change her behavior, it may let her know that what she is doing looks horrible and she lost control.
Regardless she needs to be addressed since she is in public. Public domain, if the action is thought to be disturbing she is causing a Public Disturbance, let the store manager know. If he deems that she is causing a disturbance he my call the cops etc. It is a slippery slope b/c you don't want to make things worse for the kid either.
Amy
2006-12-07 14:55:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
first i must say i do not believe in beating a child. second i don't believe in abuse of any kind. i have been in the position a few times. and have no problems asking if mom /dad is having a hard day. there are many reasons that could have brought on a "beating" . but after talking a person can see and feel what kind of person the parent is. if a protection service is needed, i will call. i had to after witnessing a very frustrated mom slap her 8 month daughter in a grocery store. after talking with her for some time. my opinion was low but not enough to call. until 2-3 later. never be afraid to report abuse! if a child can not receive love from their parents then...... who will ?
2006-12-07 15:32:07 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends alot on the laying into her son means. Which a lot of people said on here. I personally believe in spanking, however it is last resort, if one of my sons is hurting the other one on purpose or getting into a potentially dangerous situation. I also would not do it in a public place because one persons interpretation is going to be different than mine. If the child is not behaving or getting into things then she should have taken him out to the car and went from there. I wouldn't have said anything I would have steered my boys in another direction. Unless she is OBVIOUSLY being abusive ie bruises and the child cowers in fear when she raises her hand, then I would intervene and called the police, or found the store manager.
2006-12-07 14:58:25 · answer #4 · answered by Shayna B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what you mean by beating. Discipline is acceptable by law as long as there are no bruises, then it becomes child abuse. I personally believe in discipline my son does not respond unless you physically make him do things. If you don't then to him you don't exist and he will continue to do whatever you would consider wrong. i.e. Caught him hitting a baby with a toy. Is that acceptable? NO it is not. There is a conditioned response when you spank your child. When they think of doing something they have been in trouble before they will think of the spanking and then not do it.
2006-12-07 14:55:28 · answer #5 · answered by omvg1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think I would have gotten the police involved immediately. If there had been a security officer at the store that would have been my first person to contact so that they could keep the woman there until the police arrived. If I didn't think it was safe to approach the woman I would have gotten her license and make and model of her car, I would have written down anything that I could remember about what she looked like, what she said, what she did, then I would have called the police when I got home. You're right, no matter what kind of day you are having that is no excuse to beat your children.
2006-12-07 16:17:45 · answer #6 · answered by disneychick 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
what did the kid do... when me and my sister were growing up (in the South) we got some serioius spankings... I think that is what is wrong with our kids today.... if there parents would just say screw the system and whip your kids we wouldn't see them in juvey at 11 and 12! Bad Parents!
I came out perfect and not disturbed... I have never got a speeding ticket, never arrested, never got into trouble at school, instil them while their young and they will not stray from the way....
I think people need to learn the difference in spankings and abuse.... and stay out of peoples business and quit calling the cops on every single parent that whips their children... Especially if you don't know what the child done.... Worry about your own kids.... your children are probably the ones who are running amuck in the grocery stores making old people fall down...
2006-12-07 16:10:00 · answer #7 · answered by daisyduke_205 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Once before I even had my daughter I was driving and stopped a red light and the man in front of me kept reaching into the back seat and really hitting his kid HARD, so I got out of my car and walked over to his and punched him in the face. He was shocked! I asked how it felt and told him that he should never beat on a defenseless child.
2006-12-07 17:37:03 · answer #8 · answered by BimboBaggins 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would and have. I am not opposed to spanking even in public but once I saw a woman whipping her baby (less than a year old) in a restroom with the leather strap of her purse. It was very disturbing. I alerted security and I think she was arrested. If I were you I would have called security or reported the matter to customer service and had them call the police.
2006-12-07 15:25:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
As long as it's not ABUSE, I say you let the mother handle the child the way she sees fit. Wouldn't you want to make your own decisions on how to handle your child??
Also, you only saw a glimpse of the mother's day. You don't know how the the child acted all day. You don't know if the child just ran into the street. You don't know, do know??
I'm not offering up excuses for the woman, but people are so quick to judge others. I personally would not beat my child in public but that's my decision to make.
now if it was abuse, my answer would be completely different.
2006-12-07 14:44:45 · answer #10 · answered by Proud mother! 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋