Intervening

I just read something about intervening between a mother and a child. I was wondering...I am sure we have all been put into this situation.... If you were in a shopping mall, restaurant, etc... and saw a mother yelling at her child and hit her child, would you intervene or mind your business? For mself in the past, I have closed my eyes and kept walking but felt terrible. I think after becoming a social worker I have seen so many cases and heard so many stories that I would have to intervene.

Re: Intervening

I think it would depend on the extent of the hitting for me to intervene. A swat on the bottom isn't something I'd say something about. If I felt the mother was out of control, I'd ask her if she needed help.

I've been in this situation twice. The first time at 22, I walked up to the women because her daughter's bow had fallen off to hand her the bow. She was punching her daughter. I wanted to punch her. I swore I would never let someone do that to a child without acting (whether it was getting their license plate or attempting to diffuse the situation).

The second time I was at a concert in a park with just my son. The mom was holding a 5 month old and screaming and dragging her 2 year old son by the shoulder . I asked her if she wanted me to hold her baby so she could pick up her son. She looked completely shocked that I offered to help her. She burst out in to tears and said "You must think I'm some kind of lunatic. He just won't listen, I don't know what to do!" I said "I left my daughter at home for that very reason. Why don't you sit down for a little while." She calmed down. We compared notes on raising 2 kids under the age of 2. I told her my trick was to always bring a double stroller so you can put one down to pick the other one up.

Re: Intervening

Someone intervened when I was a little girl. I hid on my mother in a department store. I was in those storage shelves where you find find extra items. Anyway, my mother found me and beat the crap out of me. A lady came along and said...you know, you shouldn't beat your child like that. My mother turned around and told her to mind her business before she beat her too.

That's the only time I was ever beaten...and the only time someone intervened.

Re: Intervening

It really depends on the hitting imo...

I would never intervene unless the hitting was EXCESSIVE. And yes that is subjective but if i saw a kid who got yelled at and spanked....that is none of my business...I see nothing wrong with that. We all have our different parenting styles and who am i to intervene

If i saw a mother break out a belt, or excessively hit a child..i might say something...

But i dont think we have all seen something like that. No i don't think we have all been in this situation. In fact i think it is very rare...since i have yet to see it

Message edited 2/6/2006 6:39:01 AM.