Slapping

[langara]

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.

[no-knowledge]

o dear i made a mistake leggy but i will get you back even if it takes................ well probably about 2 minutes until your next post really.

[wolf63]

I have my cats and have chosen not to have children. I am Bipolar and during times of illness would not be able to cope with a child.

However women these days see having a child as a right. There are no consideration given to the life of the child.

I worked for the Benefits Agency for 25 years too many and I saw generation after generation of young girls getting pregnant and living on the benefit system with no aspiration to get further qualifications or even a job. The children grow up, get pregnant etc etc

I have nothing at all against single parents - some of them run around trying to balance work and children.

Bah. Give them all a kitten and see if they can cope with that first.

[sqad617]

I was brought up by my grandad who was a labourer on the railways and he had a big leather belt to hold his trousers up.

When I started a tantrum, he reached for his belt and at that moment I had to decide whether to behave or take a thrashing...........the choice was mine.

[cazzz1975]

lol ummm I do, but I had an irish upbringing where the look alone sufficed :D

[ummmm]

Same as me then cazzzz.....

[wolf63]

My dad was a train driver and seemed to either be working or in bed sleeping. My mother always used to say the usual "Wait until your dad gets home".

It was years before I found out that he was a big softie and was probably terrified of mum too.

I think that my brother and his wife are really good with their children. They are happy, energetic and intelligent kids. However they are only 3yrs and 5yrs and another arriving in June.

[taz04]

i think that you shouldn't feel guilty because if this incedent was a one off and you told the police, social services and the child got taken away that means that a whole family would be ruined when there were many reasons for a one off, i'm not a parent but surely people lose there temper. i would only say please don't do that and only report it if there were other marks, bruises etc.
x
p.s doesn't mean i agree with smacking

[Schutzengel]

My Dad used to have a doubled over piece of a horse's belly strap, hanging on a nail beside the fireplace. If we were naughty he used to take the strap and crack it, and us three kids would make a run for the stairs. The threat was enough, and thankfully he never had to use it. :-)

[langara]

Thanks redcrx, I took on board what you said and contacted the supermarket, unfortunately all hard drives from CCTV go to head office to be viewed, so I rang Head Office and no one is available to look at them until Monday. My husband was so cross about this he rang the Police and we have given them a statement, so at least we have done something. Many Thanks

[sleepy1j]

poor kid if they are doing that in a supermarket god knows what is going on in the home .lanara well done u are doing the right thing .

[brenda]

langara--- you have done the right thing and have been very brave . I applaud you.

A long time ago at a Market in Kent ,I was witness to a similar thing. A woman smacked her little child in front of me , I heard the sound of bone on bone as the child's head rocked from side to side..

I did nothing like everyone else around, and I have felt ashamed of this for more than 30 years, I can still hear that sound when I think about it.

So yes you have definitely done the right thing , and if I could have my time over , I would do the same as you.

Very well done.

[tigwig]

That is terrible. I am glad you have reported this, I don't quite know how I would have reacted if seeing this. I probably would have stomped over and rollocked them and ended up with a slap myself!
Keep us updated on what happens next, if anything!

[B00]

Not that it will help, but I very much doubt that this is true....

"all hard drives from CCTV go to head office to be viewed,

I've worked for 3 supermarkets so far, still work for one in fact, and none of them have sent CCTV to head office, unless it's regarding a specific customer- stealing etc.

It sounds like the supermarket just simply didn't want to get involved.

[DEN53]

good on you langara for reporting it - I remember a few years ago , I witnessed something similar whilst in my lunchbreak - a bully Dad walloping his little girl around the head, nearly knocking her into the road - I shouted at him and he told me to fu.k off - my friend pulled me away, as she new I would have gone for him (but I suppose that would not have helped the little girl - but it would have made me feel better !!)

There is never any excuse for hitting a child around the head.

[kujawski]

got to say if it was me and i saw the same , i would smack the parent (being a bigger than average geezer!)

i would take the consequenses as they came,

that really does annoy me.

[Velvetee]

That is shocking and this thug needs to be brought to taks. How utterly wicked and cruel.

[zxyvixy]

i think a lot of people have witnessed this behaviour,i was with my mum in the restaurant in ikea and a child of about 2 was playing up the father smacked the child's face really hard,my mother actually told him what she thought of him,and the wife just sat there and let him do it to the child.i`ve never smacked my kids.there are other ways to discipline them.

[Ice.Maiden]

Taz - people Do lose their tempers, but I don't believe in taking my frustration out on my children. I have an autistic child who's pushed me and pushed me, but I've never retaliated with violence, however tired I've been of his antics, because I realise that for teh most part, he couldn't help himself. I don't smack my kids, and like Cazzz, I have two to be proud of. They're well-mannered and respectful, because that's what they see at home.

[pinktwink]

too often the public witness adults hit children and rarely itervene by calling police etc. If an adult reacts like this in public what may they do at home?? Too often folk take to long to contact social services or wonder why services are not visitig theses familiees. Well its because too many times people walk by out of uncomfortableness or fear. This condones the slapping. Any incident like this should be reported

[trt]

If kids behave there is no reason why you shouldn't give them a slap on the behind or legs, never did me any harm.

Look at the kids today, no respect for their parents, police or society etc.