Mom punishes 7 y.o. with hot sauce and cold showers

[MonkeyPie]

http://drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/6062/?id=6062&showID=1545

I kind of have the urge to throw up. Wtf is wrong with this woman? What's wrong with Dr. Phil?! I hope CPS called her house after this show.

 

[vintagelover229]

Edit: Nm.

 

[manderz]

Her "choices" are child abuse, IMO. I watched the video, and it tore my heart out. That poor child had to hold hot sauce in his mouth for nearly a full minute, and swish it around on command. And he screamed and cried for the entire duration of his cold shower. That's no way to discipline a child.

 

[Tuckins1]

What is wrong with people?!?

 

[Maisie]

G's sister puts hot mustard in her son's mouth if he gives her attitude. He is 3. I think its cruel. I don't understand why people can do things like this to children. It knocks me sick to think about it.

 

[Glitz]

I got the hot sauce punishment when I was younger. My parents aren't crazy evil people, I was a total brat that would kick my mother and mouth off. They stopped the hot sauce after a time where I was squirming and trying to fight back, the hot sauce accidentally went up my nose ... imagine how that would burn! I'm not saying that I think it's right, but I turned out fine.

 

[Maisie]

I got the hot sauce punishment when I was younger. My parents aren't crazy evil people, I was a total brat that would kick my mother and mouth off. They stopped the hot sauce after a time where I was squirming and trying to fight back, the hot sauce accidentally went up my nose ... imagine how that would burn! I'm not saying that I think it's right, but I turned out fine.

Would you use that kind of punishment on your own children?

 

[dragonfly411]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

 

[stephbolt]

I got the hot sauce punishment when I was younger. My parents aren't crazy evil people, I was a total brat that would kick my mother and mouth off. They stopped the hot sauce after a time where I was squirming and trying to fight back, the hot sauce accidentally went up my nose ... imagine how that would burn! I'm not saying that I think it's right, but I turned out fine.

Ditto. If my siblings or I ran our mouths we got a few splashes of Tabasco on the tongue. Definitely deterred me a few times.

 

[athenaworth]

I don't really find this abusive. My best friend's son was Hell and the only thing that would make him stop being Hell was hotsauce on the tongue. It's better than taking a leather strap to them, which is not to say it's the lesser of two evils. I just mean to say that when all else fails, sometimes things like that may be an option.

 

[Maisie]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

 

[TravelingGal]

My BFF did some "medicine" with her daughter. I don't remember, but it was some nasty (yet edible) concoction. Not hot sauce, but most have had some sort of zing in it.

The reason? Her daughter would come out of her room at night and scream and make a fuss. Normally not an issue, but BFF's DH is a doc (anesthesiologist) and needed rest for surgeries the next day. BFF is strict and her kid is normally well behaved, but for some reason, nothing worked for this. Time outs. Bribes. Spanking. Whatever. She did the medicine once or twice and even the threat of it worked for future bouts of middle of the night walkabouts.

I remember when she told me this, I was like, wha??! But I know my friend is not abusive. She's loving but firm, and one of the best parents I know. Her kids are also two of the happiest and best behaved. Still, I'll admit, while I like having stuff in my "arsenal" for future discipline, this isn't one I put in my back pocket.

 

[dragonfly411]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

I'm not old enough to be a mom yet, so I really don't know what I'd do..... most of the time my family just made me feel REEEAAALLLY Guilty... like it was the worst thing in the world I could have said. I was an easy child to discipline. My mom just counted to one.

 

[athenaworth]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

What if your kids refused to go upstairs when you sent them? What if instead they cursed you, threw things, hit you, etc.? Some kids don't respond to verbal punishment.

 

[TravelingGal]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

I'm not old enough to be a mom yet, so I really don't know what I'd do..... most of the time my family just made me feel REEEAAALLLY Guilty... like it was the worst thing in the world I could have said. I was an easy child to discipline. My mom just counted to one.

Hahaha, I'm using the counting the three technique with my daughter and it's working well. So well, in fact that if I ask her to do something, she'll tell me to count to three. She always DOES do what I want to do by the count of there, but what it now does is give her three extra seconds to do what SHE was doing!

 

[TravelingGal]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

What if your kids refused to go upstairs when you sent them? What if instead they cursed you, threw things, hit you, etc.? Some kids don't respond to verbal punishment.

If they are doing these things...well, I'd say boundaries weren't set to begin with and that kind of parent is probably not going to be effective no matter what they do.

 

[MonkeyPie]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things?

I don't know...I wouldn't do either one. There are so many other ways. Nail biting is one thing - a mouthful of hot sauce because mom is "frustrated" is another. Even just a dab of the hot sauce would have been different. But a whole mouthful, to swish?! In a freezing cold shower? That would be harsh even now, as an adult, much less as a child.

 

[Maisie]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

I'm not old enough to be a mom yet, so I really don't know what I'd do..... most of the time my family just made me feel REEEAAALLLY Guilty... like it was the worst thing in the world I could have said. I was an easy child to discipline. My mom just counted to one.

The guilt trip works wonders with my kids too. We have a really close relationship and they love being around me (and who can blame them!) so the thought that I am disappointed in them really makes them sad. Even James who has special needs. He realises when I am not happy with him and he does everything he can to make friends with me.

This really doesn't happen often though. I wonder how I got such well behaved kids. They really don't do much to annoy me. I feel blessed though. My sister's sons were a real nightmare and I often wonder how she coped with them.

 

[Maisie]

So..... we're screaming abuse for this, but it's ok to wash a kid's mouth with soap when they say bad things? At least the hot sauce can't potentially poison the child. I understand no this isn't ideal punishment, and probably could be handled totally differently, I'm just pointing out a past time scenario that was quite common but was not as frowned upon.

BTW Spicy things are used for deterrents in nail biting and with dogs for chewing. Although I don't think a mouth full of hot sauce should be used, a good teaspoon may eradicate nasty words from a child's mouth.

My mother used to threaten to wash my mouth out with soap. She never did though. I would imagine I would throw up everywhere if she did.

My kids have all said a bad word at one time or another. I just tell them off and send them upstairs to consider the error of their ways. I don't smack them or use any kind of corporal punishment. Its just not the way I want to bring them up. Each to their own though. We are all different.

What if your kids refused to go upstairs when you sent them? What if instead they cursed you, threw things, hit you, etc.? Some kids don't respond to verbal punishment.

I still wouldn't hit them or put stuff in their mouths. I don't know how I would discipline them as I haven't had to deal with that kind of behaviour.

 

[Glitz]

I got the hot sauce punishment when I was younger. My parents aren't crazy evil people, I was a total brat that would kick my mother and mouth off. They stopped the hot sauce after a time where I was squirming and trying to fight back, the hot sauce accidentally went up my nose ... imagine how that would burn! I'm not saying that I think it's right, but I turned out fine.

Would you use that kind of punishment on your own children?

I know the logical answer should be no, but in all honesty I might consider it as a last resort.

 

[reader]

Conversation with my boyfriend's mom revealed to me that people do have different home lives. She had asked how my mom disciplined me when I was growing up, as her son had been 'stubborn'. I mentioned the running laps portion, and she was surprised I obeyed enough to run. John said: "Mom, Bj's mom used to make her cut her own switches, and sometimes even broke wooden spoons and fly swatters on her." John's mom was horrified. I thought that was just normal discipline!

 

[TravelingGal]

The reason I wouldn't put anything in Amelia's mouth is that the "punishment" isn't controlled. Even with a spanking, I can calmly tell her what I'm about to do, and she will turn around for 1 swat. I know it stings, then goes away. With something in their mouths, I don't think it's easy to get that in there. Usually will take some (violent) force to get it in there, which makes emotions climb. Afterward, I have no idea if it upset her stomach or cause her further unintended discomfort.

Since my philosophy toward discipline is control and love, most likely these kind of tactics doesn't work for me.

 

[Maisie]

The reason I wouldn't put anything in Amelia's mouth is that the "punishment" isn't controlled. Even with a spanking, I can calmly tell her what I'm about to do, and she will turn around for 1 swat. I know it stings, then goes away. With something in their mouths, I don't think it's easy to get that in there. Usually will take some (violent) force to get it in there, which makes emotions climb. Afterward, I have no idea if it upset her stomach or cause her further unintended discomfort.

Since my philosophy toward discipline is control and love, most likely these kind of tactics doesn't work for me.

This is the picture I have in my mind when I think about putting something in their mouths. Do you have to hold them down and force their mouth open? That would be really scary for a child.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

This is disgusting.

Anyone read A Child Called It? That's what it reminds me of.

 

[Maisie]

This is disgusting.

Anyone read A Child Called It? That's what it reminds me of.

My sister read that. I couldn't bring myself to read it. I can't get sad thoughts out of my head once they are in there.

 

[partgypsy]

We have our oldest write sentences if she doesn't do what we want. She hates writing so it is usually works as a deterrent (though she will sure drag her legs). My now 4 year old can be quite a handful and I have to admit there was a couple times when she was younger she got swatted on the butt but I can't imagine doing THAT to my child.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Our two year old is sometimes a real handful- so I love to learn new methods of discipline- but I have to say I felt extremely uncomfortable watching that video- and I'll admit I wanted to reach out and slap that mom- hard.

Let's not forget that she actually had another child film this.....

 

[MonkeyPie]

This is disgusting.

Anyone read A Child Called It? That's what it reminds me of.

Gahhhhh. That book...I only read a bit in a store once and I just wanted to curl up and cry.

 

[Rockdiamond]

I just told DW about this-
"No problem" she said- "You give and you get- just wait till the mom gets old, and the kid will pay her back 10 times over....."

 

[goCubsgo]

It is very hard being a parent and trying to figure out what's best for your child. I'm sure we all can agree. Aren't you the person who posted about the grandparent caregiver smoking around your child? Some people could say that is abuse, to subject a small, growing baby to a smoky environment day in and day out, which can potentially harm development. My point is that I've learned not to judge other parents' actions unless it involves hitting or other true physical or verbal abuse. Now that said, the hot sauce and cold showers would definitely not be anything I personally, or my wife, would do.