Discipline vs. Abuse

[I cry_ in_the_dark]

I did, at one time, wash my child's mouth out with soap, until the day on the news...

A crying child inhaled the soap and died. I never did it again.

[kitten]

When my daughter was 3, she discoverd the "F" word.  The mother of all bad words!  Just like in A Christmas Story.  Would I have chased her down and rammed a bar of soap in her mouth?  NEVER.  We had a conversation about bad words and it never happened again, she's 9 now.  Would I shove a bar of soap in my now 9 year olds mouth?  NEVER.  I don't need to anyway, I paved the proper path from the beginning.  The path of mutual respect.  

[I cry_ in_the_dark]

I did, at one time, wash my child's mouth out with soap, until the day on the news...

A crying child inhaled the soap and died. I never did it again.

[kitten]

When my daughter was 3, she discoverd the "F" word.  The mother of all bad words!  Just like in A Christmas Story.  Would I have chased her down and rammed a bar of soap in her mouth?  NEVER.  We had a conversation about bad words and it never happened again, she's 9 now.  Would I shove a bar of soap in my now 9 year olds mouth?  NEVER.  I don't need to anyway, I paved the proper path from the beginning.  The path of mutual respect.  

[Kitty C.]

I found out within the past year that soap in a child's mouth is considered abuse by Iowa DHS standards.  And how many of us chewed on a bar of Ivory so many years ago, with no ill effects except to learn we NEVER repeated those words again!

[msme]

My mom used red pepper but according to Texas CPS, Soap & red pepper are considered forms of abuse. Of course, you are allowed to serve food that is so spicey hot that your lips peel off but cannot put a dash of red pepper on the tongue.

gr8Dad used to call it lie powder. He told the kids that it wouldn't burn if you were telling the truth. It only took one dose. They would see the can & fess up. LOL  :P

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

[MixedBag]

I'd side with discipline, but you bring up a good point.

[kitten]

Thank you all for your opinions.  

[4honor]

 DS1 was about 4 and had picked up some choice words from the pre-teen neighborhood kids and SS.  He wouldn't quit repeating the words He used the "F" word and the "C" word and ran around calling people at church the "B" word (I was appropriately mortified).

I used 1 drop of tabasco on the tongue (Yes a whole drop from the bottle).

It sort of worked, or so I thought, until I caught DS1 in the refrigerator drinking from the bottle.

So much for it being a punishment!

[TPK]

I had a discussion this past weekend with my parents & relatives about hitting a child. I have a 15 month old daughter, I'm the NCP.

I remember when I was young that my dad whipped up on me and my brother pretty good. Not to say we didn't deserve what we got, he didn't get the belt out unless we did something. Back then (1970s) hitting your child seemed to go without much notice. Nowadays with CPS and such, it would seem that your child would be taken away if you took the belt to them.

I can't see myself even spanking my child in the future. I have wondered how other parents discipline their children.

How many parents here spank their child(ren)?


I hated getting whipped on, so maybe that's why I can't see myself even laying a spanking down on my child. My father wasn't an alcoholic or a bully for the most part, he probably thought "this is how your do it".

I sometimes wonder in the future what I'll do. I have to confess I was a terror in my teen years. I was always in trouble.


TPK