I have to get this off my chest, so here goes. Whilst putting my 2yr old grandson in a Supermarket trolley today, I saw a huge brute of a man Slap his 2/3 yr old so hard across his head I wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't perforated his eardrum, the child went brilliant red and was in shock. The man's wife/partner remonstrated with him by saying his name and that was it. I need to know what I should have done and said. As it was I did nothing and now feel so ashamed.
a friend of mine witnessed similar last week, except it was a little girl being repeatedly smacked around head and sworn at.
My friend has notified social services and also spoke to the supermarket. They have it on CCTV and i believe are reporting the matter to the police.
sqad - I don't agree that was accepted 30 years ago. A smack was a tap, on the legs or bottom. Used to show disapproval rather than to hurt. A swipe across the head is quite different.
squad is correct thee are many stories of how even nuns treated children like that because they were bad.
didnt judy garland get beaten by her mother with a coathanger and shoes?
not a new thing at all
but i think squid means we have gone so far in the opposite direction now
tthis would seem to be a clear case of assault on a child.if there are or have been others then it would be abuse .
that will be upo to the authorities to decide if they are informed
When I was a kid, I was hit around the head, and the worst of it was, it was by proxy, i.e. just you wait until your father gets home. He had hands like small hams and it used to make my ears ring.
sqad - I didn't say it did not happen (some of my teachers were sadistic) but it was not acceptable - except in the teaching profession perhaps. I think if my parents realised teachers used bunsen burner tubing and daps (trainers to youngsters today) they would have objected.
The headmaster using a cane was more reserved in his use.
Just as bad is parents walking down the street with toddlers trailing 20+ feet behind them.
I saw one girl the other day, she was walking down a busy street in town texting on her mobile phone. She turned a corner and her little boy (2 year old ish) didn't even see her turn the corner.
I followed the little boy to make sure that he got back to his mum - but she was totally oblivious to any possible danger.
I was given the odd slap round the head by local uniformed coppers for doing what silly young boys did in those days. I grew out of it and became a responsible adult. Today the same behaviour would earn an ASBO and would be seen as a "badge of honour". It's time we went back to some of the old values and respect.
Today....eg in a shop, airports etc, if a child is out of control and embarrassing the parents and onlookers, the parents do NOT know how to handle the situation.