My mother is a secretary at an elementary school, and sometimes I sub for her when she has meetings or appointments She had to have surgery and was out for three weeks so I filled in for her while she was gone. One day a teacher and a little girl came into the office with a clear hand mark across her face, five minutes after school had started. This hand mark on her face was not red. It was blue, green and swollen. CPS was called and came to the school along with the police and the child’s mother because she told the teacher and I that her mother hit her. When we were all in the office (CPS, police, me, child, teacher, mother and principle) the child told us again that her mother hit her and the mother defended herself saying and I quote “well American mothers don’t discipline their children right. I hit her because she didn’t do what I asked her to do.” Oh man I can’t describe the amount of rage I had in me. I have never firsthand experienced anything like this before. And before anyone could say anything I blurted out, “ What the hell is wrong with you!!!?” Well needless to say I was asked to leave the room and go back to work. I will never forget the look on that mother’s face. To this day she disgusts me and when I visit my mom at her school and I see her I just stare at her. I think she is complete garbage. I have never met her before that day but her actions will always speak louder than words to me. I just don’t get how she could look at herself everyday knowing she hit her child. Just disgusts me.
I’ve said in my posts that every parent has the right to raise their child the way that they chose so. Yet, there comes a certain point where you draw the line as in your case. The fact that someone can physically harm their child and defend their actions makes them an unfit parent in my eyes. There is many other ways to discipline your child than laying your hands on them. Furthermore, hitting your child is just a short-term solution to the problem. Nothing is really resolved as a result of you hitting your child and it promotes violence as a means of asserting authority. This could possibly lead to your child bullying other kids since what they have been shown is violence equates to power. I personally believe that parents should deal with issues with non physical approaches such as talking and taking away privileges.
ReplyDeleteI love little kids and this is just so sad. I have no idea how I would have reacted in this situation (probably a lot more outspoken whether it be appropriate or not) but just the thought of that can honestly bring me to tears. I have said before that I think strict discipline can be a positive way to raise a child but this is a clear crossing of the line into child abuse. I think if there is ever a question as to whether you crossed the line as a parent then it is safe to say you probably did. I will never be able to understand how an adult can defend their actions like that mother did it's just sad.
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