What Would YOU Do?

Today, I took my children and my baby nephew shopping for a birthday present for a playmate. While in the store, one mother, in particular, caught my attention. She was shopping with her two little girls, and her husband. They were in the toy section, and the mother was pointing out toys for the girls to look at. The littlest girl reached out to touch the toy, the mother screamed, "No!", grabbed the girl's arm, and smacked her hand so hard I flinched. Then she led them down the next aisle, pointed out yet another pretty item to admire, and, as I walked quickly away, not wanting to witness her idea of "parenting", I - as well as the rest of the store - could hear that poor child being screamed at.



What is the "right" thing to do in these situations? I have too often witnessed these displays of "discipline" that make me ill. But it always occurs to me that a parent that treats their child this way, openly and without restraint, in view of witnesses, might very well be further angered by any intervention on the part of a stranger. What might he or she do when they get home? The poor child might bear the brunt of good intentions. Attempts to pass legislation against disciplining children is not going to do anything to stop those who beat and abuse children. This woman and others like her need to be taught that children who live with such malice towards them grow up with malice towards others. If only there was a means, when witness to such occurrences, to report them immediately, and have steps taken to protect the child at once. But I guess that would be tantamount to a police-state. And, of course, I do not want to live in a police-state. However, anyone who brazenly abuses their offspring in public, with nary a concern about what he or she is doing to the child, with lack of concern for all those who are witness to the abuse, deserves punishment. The only thing worse than a closet abuser of children is one who flaunts it as though they are immune to punishment.