if a parent has beat a kid like the lady in the video ...or starved the kids or psycologically hurt them in a severe way .... how many chances should they be given to become a good parent .... i know with parentin classes ... and cps watchin over them ... they should learn something to change them ... if they do drugs and keep the kids out all hours and dont worry about thier schoolin and homework ... and keep them fed and clean .... and keep having babies... these two parents im upset with have 9 kids between them and are in prison and dont want to give up there custodial rights as a parent cuz it will make them look bad ... OMG!!! how do we give them a wake up call with a frying pan ?im so mad that they have gotton away with so much cuz they have rights ....what about the kids .... dont they have rights too ?

By Feona on Sunday, September 22, 2002 - 09:10 am:

I don't understand why the little girl in the video wasn't given to the grandparents or father? Were they trying to teach the family a lesson?

I know two little boys that where in like a group home. These were boys that couldn't make it in a regular foster home. They would run away or they were special needs. Some of the older boys preyed on the younger boys sexually. So I don't think that group home are so great after hearing about that.

I think some of the foster homes aren't so great so I think the government wants to keep the family intact if possible.

Maybe the governement should give out free drug treatment to any parents. That would be cheaper that foster care. Maybe even job training to at risk parents. You know the saying teach the man to fish rather than give him a fish.

Very complicated...

By Angellew on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 02:29 pm:

I feel like if you get me started on this subject, I'll never stop!!!

But, IMO I think they should get one shot (in most situations)! Unfortunately, sometimes even that is too many! I heard once (I don't know if it was a movie or what) "you need a government issued license to hunt and fish in this country, but just anyone can have a baby!!"

The woman who beat her child in a parking lot should have the child taken away! She proved she couldn't handle it! Maybe, by her losing it in public, she just saved her own daughter's life. But, what about he man (in the news this past week in my area of NE) that beat his 6 weeks old child to death??? SIX WEEKS OLD!!! No one can save that poor baby!

So, before I start rambling... in 90% of situations, I would say one chance.... IMO!

By Kim on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 06:22 pm:

What if, and I am not advocating, but what if, you ONLY flipped out like this once, ever? Just curious on your opinions.

By Cybermommyx4 on Monday, September 23, 2002 - 06:41 pm:

I don't know...if it can happen once, it could happen again (?) And she didn't just "lose it"...she pummelled that child and wouldn't stop! If she had just flipped out and smacked her or something, you could maybe attribute that to "losing it for a second" but she just went on and on and wouldn't/couldn't stop. She needs help, but not at the expense of that poor child!

By Jewlz on Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 12:27 pm:

she looked around the parking lot to see if anyone was watching .... she knew it was wrong what she was doing and after lookin she continued again for a long time ..... its not a first time in my opinion that she has done this... if the child was being a challenge that day runnin around and thru the clothes ... then she should have taken other actions to stop that in teh store or just left before everyone was so upset. the family had no right to hide the mom or interfere in teh investigation ...

By Mechelle on Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 12:00 am:

Yeap. I agree with Jewlz. The *Witch* looked around first to see if anyone was looking before she beat that baby girl. Now, IMO, if you have time to stop and look around to see if anyone is watching you, you know what the he** you are doing, and you had time to stop and think about it too. I read in the newspaper she was crying and she was sorry. Yeah, she's sorry I'm sure, sorry that she got caught. I just don't understand it, why people take thier anger out on thier kids like that......cause the kids can't fight back, and defend themselves, if they should Heaven forbid! If she is found guilty, it's a class 3 felony, she faces 3-15 years in thge Federal Prison. She deserves more than that. That baby I'm sure has taken this crap from her before and she is probably scarred on the inside.
I can see, swatting her little butt one time or two for the way she acted in the store, BUT if the Mother would have been there watching her she probably never would have pulled what she did in the store. The Mother was in the wrong all the way around, and put that poor baby in the middle of it all.

By Jujubee on Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 10:38 pm:

I dunno about this one. I have a hard time with it. I don't think that anyone who harms a child should have a second chance. To many abusive parents who've been given second chances end up "accidentally" killing the child. At the same time the alternative isn't much better. I have a very close personal friend who was taken away from their parents. And they told me that the homes they lived in afterwards were worse than the beatings they'd recieved at home. The last home they were placed in was a wonderful, and from there they were adopted. But for 6 years their life was worse than when they lived at home. I think that things need to change in the way children's services are run....but that's another topic.

By Mineral on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 06:18 pm:

I just wish I could take all the children who are hurting into my home and show them the love and environment that they deserve. Parents not only need training but a good support system. My husband and I were young and scared to be first time parents and without the support of both our families I don't know if we'd have made it. Parents need to understand that they aren't super heros, they're just parents, and parents...like regular people...need a break too. If the baby won't stop crying, call Grandma, sis, bro, neighbor, friend, someone who can give you 10, 15 minutes of solitude so you can come back fresh, before you break. Couldn't the lady at the WAlmart have put the kid in the seat and then turned around and screamed her head off at the top of her lungs? Sure, the camera would have picked that up too but I don't the police would have gotten involved. JMO