Stories like this make me physically ill. I once came across a man who was being overly aggressive with his son in a supermarket. He slapped him hard enough that the boy fell on the ground and was preparing to hit him again when I intervened.
I don’t like the idea of stepping in. You don’t always know the full story of what is happening at home, but I was infuriated when I saw this.
It is one thing to swat a child on the rear, but to slap them across the face with enough force to knock them down is just wrong.
Before the man could hit the boy again I got his attention and suggested that he take a deep breath. He was angry and told me to “fuck off.” I offered to remove his arm from his shoulder and then hold him down while his son whacked him with it and he thought better of it.
From time to time I have wondered about that boy, wondered if it was a one time aberration in behavior or something more.
All I know is that this mistreatment of children makes my blood boil.
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