I just can't with the Facebook posts saying people should be able to "discipline" their children as they see fit & Adrian Peterson should not be held accountable for the injury he caused his son. I am honestly shocked so many people I know think leaving bleeding cuts on a child is okay!
Have you seen this case? What do you think - should he have not been arrested?
TRIGGER WARNING - graphic images of abuse in link:
http://tmz.com/#Article/2014/09/12/adrian-peterson-indicted-for-child-abuse
cantaloupe / 6610 posts
When my husband first mentioned this to me, that he whipped his kid with a switch, I told my husband, "My grandparents used to threaten to whip us with a switch...I think I did get smacked with one a few times. Maybe that's old-school country ways?" But then I saw those photos. Um no, he didn't discipline. He BEAT.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
Spanking is a parent's prerogative, but discipline that leaves sores, scars, bruising, and bleeding is too much.
cantaloupe / 6791 posts
My husband and I were JUST talking about this a few minutes ago. We were both spanked (like a handful of times) and it's not a route we want to go with our children, but this was not just spanking. If it leaves marks and bleeding cuts, it's abuse, IMO.
grapefruit / 4066 posts
So sad. I mean, he of all people should know better, knowing what happened to his 2 year old son last year. I do not judge people for spanking, but leaving marks, bruises, bleeding is not okay.
GOLD / watermelon / 14076 posts
This is awful and so beyond discipline. It also creeps me out that he's smiling like that in his mug shot.
cantaloupe / 6610 posts
@lawbee11: Yes with the smile! TMZ says a slight smile and I was like "Um no, that's all out smiling in your mug shot for tearing your kid's tiny body up!"
honeydew / 7303 posts
@NovBaby1112: omg I didn't realize that was the same guy. That is so so sad and makes no sense at all 
pear / 1799 posts
I don't believe in spanking, so I am more than against this. I think anytime a parent disciplines out of anger, they've crossed a line. Discipline (even if someone does choose to spank), should be done in a calm way. I believe the goal is to teach the child, not scar or harm the child. Too many people lose control, and project that emotion onto their children. So sad.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
Parents get kids removed from the home for less. That was horrific. Now that I have children, I can confidently say that there is never a reason to use any form of physical punishment on a child. I grew up with it, and I don't think it helped me in any way and it definitely hurt my sense of self- worth.
honeydew / 7916 posts
Wish I hadn't clicked that link. Those photos can be triggering for someone who has experienced abuse.
coconut / 8234 posts
I'm so disappointed in the comments I've seen. Unfortunately, this is the way some people were raised and so they think it's ok because they turned out "ok." I was beat with a switch once and yes it left welts and there was blood. This is not okay. Too many people are talking about how you should be allowed to discipline your child. And that if more people did this the world wouldn't have the problems we do today. Wrong. This is wrong.
The NFL is on a roll with all of this aggression and violence.
cantaloupe / 6669 posts
@spaniellove: I will come back to respond more later (about to go to the park) but I'm sorry & I edited the post!
pomegranate / 3411 posts
i am afraid to click on the click but from the comments here it 100% sounds like abuse and is disgusting. I also don't agree with spanking. I know someone who has smacked their 3 y.o. child on the face and i was so disturbed. I don't even know what is meant by hitting with a switch? All i can envision are light switches.
honeydew / 7589 posts
@californiadreams: It was a small tree branch. Usually a switch means like a willow branch, a thin flexible branch that bends and stings like a whip. Don't click on the link, the child has bleeding welts. It's absolutely horrifying that someone could do that do a child.
honeydew / 7916 posts
@daniellemybelle: Oh no you don't have to be sorry! As triggering as it is I'm also glad people know that this is what abuse looks like.
grapefruit / 4997 posts
What a horrible thing to do to a helpless child. That is not disciplining, it's too cruel for any parent to do that and looks like battle scars with the enemy! He needs anger management help!!
cantaloupe / 6692 posts
I have a really good friend who defended him on FB and a ton of people who chimed in "agree" on it. It annoys me to no end. I was spanked as a child. I wasn't abused or traumatized, but I was scared of my dad and resentful of him when he spanked me. I don't want T to feel that way about me or DH. Plus I don't believe it taught me anything. Maybe to be more obedient in fear I was going to get spanked.
I saw a comment on one of the articles that said
"Beating kids is alright because I turned out okay"
No you turned out thinking beating kids is alright.
pomelo / 5628 posts
He was FOUR years old! So sad and utterly inconceivable for me no matter what the family history.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
Looking at the pics, that def crossed the line for discipline!
nectarine / 2973 posts
I am anti spanking in general but this is abuse, not disciplining!
honeydew / 7230 posts
This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. I have seen a lot of people defending him (or, his right to discipline his children) on Facebook and I'm honestly shocked so many people think this is permissible. I am strongly against corporal punishment of any kind, but this doesn't even fall into that category for me. This is violent abuse and how anyone can justify that is beyond my comprehension.
grapefruit / 4079 posts
Isn't this the same football player that had a young son that was killed by child-abuse? It is disgusting that he would think this is acceptable.
nectarine / 2834 posts
@Mrs Green Grass: I know - 4 years old!! Not that I condone it at any age but this kid was so so little and young.
I disagree with the "I was spanked and I turned out alright." I feel like that just gives them permission to continue to do it with their kids. Isn't it time to break the cycle? Also, I think it proves the old saying that the only thing a child learns from hitting is to hit.
grapefruit / 4418 posts
I believe parents have a right to choose how they discipline. But discipline becomes abuse when visible marks are left on a child. Clearly this fits the bill multiple times over. I also think 4 years old is quite young to be subjected to repeated spankings even if they didn't leave any marks.
pineapple / 12234 posts
Wait, didn't this guys two year-old die from abuse last year??? By the mother's boyfriend???
This is disgusting. You think especially after what happened to his other child, he would be horrified by abuse.
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
I think this is beyond the "is spanking okay or not" debate. I was spanked as a child, & it looked NOTHING like what this little boy clearly experienced. Just from looking at those pictures, it is absolutely clear that this isn't a "spanking" situation in my opinion: it's a "beating" situation. Awful.
pineapple / 12234 posts
@Mrs. Blue: completely agree. I was also spanked but never once had a mark on my body. This is most definitely beyond that. He should be in jail. That poor child.
honeydew / 7586 posts
Holy shit. That's awful. Is using a switch a southern thing? I've never heard of it until now.
pomelo / 5257 posts
@Mrs. Blue: ITA. I feel like some people who believe in spanking feel so defensive about it that they jumped to argue Peterson's side without reading the details. At least that's what I want to believe. Because if anyone HAS read the details and still thinks this is ok... That is just unfathomable to me.
On another note, I keep seeing people say, "there's a fine line between discipline and abuse." Ummm, no. If you really think there's a gray area between those things, you need to reevaluate what you consider discipline.
Oh and one last thing, I'm so sick of "I was spanked/hit with switches as a child and I turned out fine" as an excuse. Thanks for your anecdote, but guess what? My parents were vehemently against spanking and my sister and I were extremely well behaved children and teenagers. So looks like we're at an impasse there with our anecdotes. *eyeroll*
coconut / 8234 posts
@blackbird: In another group I belong to, we were all talking about this and it seemed like everyone was trying to top each other with all the shit they've been beat with, like "a switch, well I got beat with xy & z." This isn't something to brag about.
@Ra: The one time I got beat with a switch we happened to be in the South visiting family. The "fun" part is when your parents make you go pick the damn switch off of the tree and bring it back. It's so fucked up that so many people think this is normal and okay. I know my mom and family did this because it's what was done to them and passed down. It's not okay. This is abuse.
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
@mrsjazz: yes there was a lot of that. One guy said "I bet that kid never acts up again". Wut. Along with a few "oh I have scars, too" and "they'll heal" and "it won't kill him"....
pear / 1718 posts
Ugh, this is both eye-opening and horrifying as to what's considered discipline. In both abuse cases this week, I hope the NFL can use their influence to change (some) perception of what's acceptable behavior, but I doubt it.
honeydew / 7916 posts
@mrsjazz: It is abuse. It's sadistic making kids go get the object they're going to be hit with. It's also sadistic making kids decide how many times they're going to be hit.
| Today | Monthly Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Topics | 0 | 1 |
| Posts | 1 | 3 |
Ask for Help
Make a Suggestion
Frequently Asked Questions
Bee Levels
Acronyms
Most Viewed Posts
Hellobee Gold
Hellobee Recipes
Hellobee Features
Hellobee Contests
Baby-led Weaning
Bento Boxes
Breastfeeding
Newborn Essentials
Parties
Postpartum Care Essentials
Sensory Play Activities
Sleep Training
Starting Solids Gear
Transitioning to Toddler Bed
All Series
Who We Are
About the Bloggers
About the Hostesses
Contributing Bloggers
Apply to Blog
Apply to Hostess
Submit a Guest Blog
Hellobee Buttons
How We Make Money
Community Policies
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
73 comments