Walk

Last night Jordan, Lily and I went on a walk around the block. As we went down the street, I heard a little girl crying. Her dad was working out in the yard and her older sisters were lined up behind her. I hear an older sister pipe up 'But I didn't see her behind me!'. I figure the little one who is crying must have been bumped/pushed/whatever by her older sister. The dad then looks at the older daughter and says 'You better get in that house before I beat you so good.'

Yes, you read that right - beat you so good.

Jordan and I exchanged glances as I felt my heart rate climb. I was furious. How could this father say something so violent and so full of hate to anyone, let alone his own child?!

I couldn't let it go for the rest of our walk. In my mind, I had to come to a resolution about this issue of hitting/spanking/striking/beating children. Jordan and I have discussed before about how we would like to discipline our children and concluded that there will never be a need to raise our voices (although we will want to at times) or to hit/strike/spank/swat/flick/smack our children (although we will want to at times).

As a child, I remember the few times I was spanked/smacked whatever you want to call it. I can recall being so sad, hurt and confused. Why would my parents, who are my #1 role models, hit me? It always made me feel shameful and lonely. Why would any parent ever want to purposefully make their children feel those emotions? The answer to that is completely beyond me. No matter what I did to deserve discipline, striking a child will never produce positive results. Sure, the child may momentarily stop the behavior the parent is attempting to correct, but in the long-term it is harmful.

How many times has this scenario happened: a child hits another child, the parent then comes over and spanks the child and tells him not to hit. Where is the logic behind that action?! Do as I say, not as I do?! Why would a parent want to correct a behavior by using an action that is negative and that they do not want their children to replicate?

If I ever see that dad hit any member of his family, I will call Child Protective Services. If he threatens his children with such anger and agression in his tone in his front yard with all kinds of people walking by - what must he be doing inside the walls of his own home?!