Name-calling. Obscenity. Yelling. Hitting.
How far can a person go before the incident becomes abuse and the authorities are called?
On the drive to school this morning, there was a vehicle that had a driver and a high school aged passenger. This is normal sight on a Thursday morning.
What the driver was doing to the student passenger was not a normal sight, however.
What occurs between you and your child in the privacy of your own home is between you, your conscience and your child.
The authorities only become involved if a neighbor, friend or relative become concerned that what is happening is getting out of control.
Doctors, teachers and social workers are required to report only if there are bruises, broken bones or other traumas that indicate abuse.
But what you do in public becomes a public issue. When yelling becomes so loud it is heard by strangers; when hitting is seen through your car windows; when your driving is affected because you are so focused on your passenger, other people need to become involved.
There are more adult and respectful ways of dealing with anger against a child
Taking a parental time-out, writing in your journal, taking a few (or several) deep breaths are great ways of dealing with your personal issues before taking your frustration out on your child.
There are several schools of thought on how to discipline a child whether the child is a preschooler, a grade schooler or a high-schooler. It is a parent’s responsibility to respond to discipline needs in an adult manner and not to be seen on a public street treating your child, even a teen-age child, to a barroom brawl style of discipline.