Child Abuse?

Take a look at this video. What is your first thought? I'll admit, when I first read the article about her arrest, I was thinking, "Oh it's just hot sauce" that's not terrible. But when I watched her this home video that she sent into Dr. Phil, I was sickened and couldn't help but crying. It absolutely broke my heart!

Now I am not one to go around telling any parent how to parent their child. I feel like each person knows their child and knows what is the best way to discipline, within obvious boundaries. I wouldn't condone child abuse in any way shape or form. It makes me sick. I am in no way a perfect parent. I scream.....a lot, probably more then I should. My kids drive me crazy quite often, and I do spank on occasion. I have also.....wait for it.....used hot sauce. Before you go calling the authorities for child abuse or calling me a hypocrite, let me explain.

My son had picked up a not so nice word. He decided it was funny to call people the B word. I do not tolerate that but the first time I ignored it, because I thought if I fed into it he would like the attention. But after he kept saying it I told him that is a bad word and we don't use that kind of language. And for the rest of the day he continued to say it. Finally I took a tsp of hot sauce and gave it to him. I didn't shove the bottle down his throat or make him swish it in his mouth. He didn't even get the whole tsp, just a dab on his tongue. After that he never said it again and I have never had to use it again.

Anyway, now that you all think I torture my kids, let me get back to what I was saying. I watched this video in horror all the while my heart breaking for this poor little boy. OK maybe she went a little far with the hot sauce, but she crossed the line by putting him in the cold shower. This kind of thing is a form of torture that people use in the military, not on 7 yr old ichildren. Hearing him scream made me want to jump through the screen and save him. The only thing he did was act up in school, there are better ways to handle this type of thing. Taking toys away for example. I am just shocked that 1. she treats her son like this and 2. WHY the heck would she send it in to Dr. Phil? Seriously?

My opinion, she deserved to be arrested, leo on the other hand doens't think it's child abuse. Although he said he doesn't agree with it, he doesn't believe she is hurting the child. What do you think? Is she wrong for using this form of punishment? Or do you think that it is OK as long as he isn't physically being harmed?