Results: The Fine Line Between Parent Bullying and Parenting
A mother from Batawia, NY punished her seven year old son for stealing by requiring him to stand outside their home with a sign around his neck that read “I steal from my parents all the time.” Given that no other methods of discipline worked for her to teach her child not to steal, she decided to think outside the box and applied this new method that was considered by some people to be parent bulling.
1.
1.
Would say that the fine line between parenting and parent bullying was crossed?
Yes
28%
•
1302 votes
No
46%
•
2133 votes
Undecided
26%
•
1231 votes
2.
2.
Would you apply this method of parenting if you experienced the same or similar trouble with your children? Yes
25%
•
1150 votes
No
36%
•
1660 votes
Undecided
22%
•
1025 votes
Not Applicable
18%
•
831 votes
3.
3.
When a neighbor saw the humiliated child with the sign, he called the police. Would you have done the same thing if you saw something like this happening? Yes
16%
•
752 votes
No
48%
•
2263 votes
Undecided
24%
•
1129 votes
Not Applicable
11%
•
522 votes
4.
4.
What is your overall opinion on this case? Taking into consideration that she had tried everything else and it did not work, she did the right thing
39%
•
1826 votes
She should have chosen other ways to address the problem with her child
29%
•
1332 votes
Undecided
18%
•
838 votes
N/A
13%
•
609 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
•
61 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.28% | 13 | |
| praise the parents that still actually discipline their children. whoever called the police is a lil bitch that needs to worry about his own shit instead a child that isn't his and wasn't being harmed in any way shape or form. | 0.04% | 2 |
| taking into consideration that she had tried everything else and it did not work, she did the right thing. nobody should have called the police. that child isn't being abused, hurt, or neglected in any way. | 0.02% | 1 |
| a. wagner is not a parent, he would've mentioned so. he also didn't get "the child" 's age correct showing he doesn't actually know the details, just expressing his opinion. | 0.02% | 1 |
| people should mind their own business. way too much of people sticking their noses in where they don't belong | 0.02% | 1 |
| she should have read books on parenting skills | 0.02% | 1 |
| publically humiliating your child? yeah, that doesn't have any adverse effects on the child's mental development. | 0.02% | 1 |
| it's fine. | 0.02% | 1 |
| maybe there were other ways but what does it matter? this isnt damaging to the child. the neighbor seriously needs to learn to mind his own business and stop trying to tell people they should live of to his standards of acceptability | 0.02% | 1 |
| i would kill her myself with my bare hands | 0.02% | 1 |
| neighbor is a douche | 0.02% | 1 |
| i'm 58 ... as a kid we got bare-ass beatings with a belt ... i still loved my parents (while they were alive) ... too many people interfering these days! | 0.02% | 1 |
| the mom is obviously dumb as fuck if she thinks this actually works in teaching a lesson. | 0.02% | 1 |
| arnold needs his own sign. "i can't mind my own business" | 0.02% | 1 |
| theft is what this country was founded on. | 0.02% | 1 |
| i enjoy punishment that is also hilarious for both parties | 0.02% | 1 |
| who cares, not my kid. people are so sensitive to bullying. the kid was a jerk, they had it coming. | 0.02% | 1 |
| they have issues! | 0.02% | 1 |
| she did he right thing,considering how common it is the for the parent to just give their kid a smack as a lesson. she got creative. | 0.02% | 1 |
| she did what she thought was best, every child response is different. she was not in the wrong | 0.02% | 1 |
| she should try parenting classes because as a parent if you had parented correctly when your child was very young, this would not be an issue | 0.02% | 1 |
| i would have beat the hide off his ass first, then give him the sign treatment. | 0.02% | 1 |
| she should have called the police & have them talk to the kid. | 0.02% | 1 |
| she did what she could. it isn't like she was hurting him physically. he deserves to be humiliated, he did something wrong!!! | 0.02% | 1 |
| spanked the kid very time | 0.02% | 1 |
| i think she is a lot better then most parents. my mom woulda beat my a**. that kids got it good. sorry my opinion. | 0.02% | 1 |
| none of my business | 0.02% | 1 |
| i don't find it cruel. it is something that might be laughed upon in future family gatherings. depending on the child's reaction to this method, it may be very effective. | 0.02% | 1 |
| sometimes things with kids are not stand little johnny in the corner and he understands, u have to think outside the box sometimes | 0.02% | 1 |
| she did not take into consideration all the bullying that he would get at school from her doing that to him. not good for his mental health either. too young for that kind of punishment. | 0.02% | 1 |
| children need to respect their parents,since this or any other method that does not cause physical damage is ok, a parent should be able to raise their child as they feel, that includes reasonable discipline. was not harsh or cruel, they | 0.02% | 1 |
| need to be addressed | 0.02% | 1 |
| if that is what stopped the problem, then good for the parents, maybe the child needed this. the neighbor should have talked to parents before calling police... | 0.02% | 1 |
| she of her husband could have done way more to keep this situation under control. i mean if she can make him stand outside with a sign around his neck as punishment then dont you think that the kid will listen to other ways? | 0.02% | 1 |
| my only isssue is the words on the sign. perhaps if the sign said i disobeyed my parents im sorry then maybe it would be more focused. but saying the kids steals all the time might be a bit too far. | 0.02% | 1 |
| i would need more info ... what had she actually tried before coming up with this "solution" ... who had she asked for help with the issue? | 0.02% | 1 |
| walk a mile in her shoes | 0.02% | 1 |
| maybe counseling for the child would have helped. this seems extreme | 0.02% | 1 |
| paddle his butt and put him in a corner (in privacy of home) like we used to | 0.02% | 1 |
| would have recommended parenting classes | 0.02% | 1 |
| it's not in my place to judge, since it is the parent's responsibility to discipline. | 0.02% | 1 |
| i think the nosy nieghbor is a nitwit | 0.02% | 1 |
| they should make her wear a sign that says i mentally abuse my children. | 0.02% | 1 |
| parents aren't allowed to spank their children anymore. little by little parenting is being taken away from parents. | 0.02% | 1 |
| it's her child, she can decide what punishment is proper and within reason. the courts deliver this kind of judgement all of the time. what is the difference between making him deal with it now as opposed to later in life? | 0.02% | 1 |
| it is her child the reason our country is growing up to be entitled wimps is because of the lack of true discipline | 0.02% | 1 |
| it is better than beating him behind closed doors, which is what i got when i sole. not from parents, though. | 0.02% | 1 |
| the neighbor should mind his own business | 0.02% | 1 |
5.
5.
Would you say that you experienced parent bullying from your parent(s)? Yes
20%
•
911 votes
No
57%
•
2642 votes
Undecided
14%
•
636 votes
Not Applicable
10%
•
477 votes
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