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mixedmedia · 12-08-2006, 03:13 AM

Just want to insert my own two cents on the whole "reporting parents to authorities" business for things like sending their kids to bed without dinner or smacking them with a belt. I don't know what the state of the child welfare system is in your states, but here in Florida the DCF (Dept. of Children & Families) is so understaffed and overwhelmed that very often cases of real and brutal abuse go by under-served. You probably remember some cases of FL's DCF actually losing some foster children that were in the system. They still don't know where one of these little girls are and what happened to her. To suggest that otherwise good parents who deprive their child of a meal now and then or smack their child or any other form of discipline the parent is administering responsibly should be reported to the authorities is 1) incredibly naive and 2) taking away much needed attention from the protracted, severe and heartbreaking abuse that is going on in many homes out there. If the parent's form of discipline is used responsibly and is administered with common sense then, frankly, it's none of your business how they choose to raise their child.

On a personal note, I have never deprived my children of dinner because 1) I don't think it is a method that would be effective with my kids and 2) especially at the age of 6, it was hard enough as it was to get my kids to eat anything but friggin' chicken nuggets so if they were willing to eat, I was always more than willing to let them. Actually, it's still hard to get my 7 year old to eat. Nor have I ever employed hitting or spanking with my kids, although I did try once with my oldest daughter when she was little. I just don't have the heart for it.

12-08-2006, 03:13 AM	#38 (permalink)
mixedmedia has all her shots. Location: Florida	Just want to insert my own two cents on the whole "reporting parents to authorities" business for things like sending their kids to bed without dinner or smacking them with a belt. I don't know what the state of the child welfare system is in your states, but here in Florida the DCF (Dept. of Children & Families) is so understaffed and overwhelmed that very often cases of real and brutal abuse go by under-served. You probably remember some cases of FL's DCF actually losing some foster children that were in the system. They still don't know where one of these little girls are and what happened to her. To suggest that otherwise good parents who deprive their child of a meal now and then or smack their child or any other form of discipline the parent is administering responsibly should be reported to the authorities is 1) incredibly naive and 2) taking away much needed attention from the protracted, severe and heartbreaking abuse that is going on in many homes out there. If the parent's form of discipline is used responsibly and is administered with common sense then, frankly, it's none of your business how they choose to raise their child. On a personal note, I have never deprived my children of dinner because 1) I don't think it is a method that would be effective with my kids and 2) especially at the age of 6, it was hard enough as it was to get my kids to eat anything but friggin' chicken nuggets so if they were willing to eat, I was always more than willing to let them. Actually, it's still hard to get my 7 year old to eat. Nor have I ever employed hitting or spanking with my kids, although I did try once with my oldest daughter when she was little. I just don't have the heart for it. __________________ Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce