Let’s say you have a kid. Let’s just say. And that kid gets on your nerves, as children often do. So you think it’d would be a logical solution to put him on a leash, right?
No. Wrong. You’re already wrong. It’s a kid, not Harvey, the annoying labradoodle. And you probably have control issues.
Now say your kid is acting out in public, while on said leash. It’s really embarrassing you and you’re tired of people looking and whispering things you suspect may be pejorative. So what do you do, hotshot? What do you do?
If you’re Melissa Catherine Smith-Means of Alabama, you drag him. Across the floor. In a Verizon store. Full of phones that are capable of taking video. Which is what someone did.
She was later arrested for the video. Which I think is totally and completely unfair. The women was simply trying to encourage the development of new sports. There’s only so many times you can watch someone throw a football around, before you want to branch out to infant-dragging. So let that be a lesson to you, child-draggers. If someone catches you being a bad parent on video, social services will jump into action.
Provided you haven’t released any hit singles.
Comments
LittleGorm
August 28th, 2009 - 12:18:47 PM
Unless you have had kids and lived through the terrible twos, make no comment. Too bad we can't just swat them on the butt, but then they would arrest you fro assault. When a kid throws a temper tantrum what exactly can the parent do? Not much really but leave, I guess. Can't harm the fragile sensibilities of others in our society.
1
Me
August 28th, 2009 - 2:00:23 PM
Don't give us that, "if you don't have kids crap"! I don't have kids for just this reason. If you have kids and they act out, take a look in the mirror, because chances are you do to! If you're going to have a kid(s) make sure you; can afford it, have the patience, and do it for a better reason than to save your marriage or because your supposed to! I can't believe we need a license to fish, but not to have kids!?!?!?
2
Big_d
August 28th, 2009 - 7:57:10 PM
I have a 2 y.o., I use a leash just because he's so fast. If you turn your head for a second kids will take off like shot. I however would never drag my kid with it. That bitch needs to dragged behind a car a distance proportional to how far she dragged that poor kid. 2 y.o. kids are not capable of hateful acts, they do what they do because they don't know how to effectively communicate.
3
Lanie
August 30th, 2009 - 10:14:37 AM
My Mom used a leash one year for me and my two younger sisters on a trip to Europe. In the airport in New York one woman told her that what she was doing was cruel...my Mom then politely informed her that if keeping us in her sight meant using a leash in order to keep us from getting lost or kidnapped or worse then that's what she would do. Then she told her to f*** off. This though...is just insane. Just pick up your damn kid.
4
HM
August 30th, 2009 - 10:54:13 AM
Here's the thing, kid leashes- ones that go on the wrist or around the back like a back pack- I have no problem with. It's a safety measure when you have a child that is prone to running off or whatever. I used a wrist one with my son, it strapped around both of our wrists. I did this after he took off running out of a shoe store in the mall faster than I could catch him and scared me to death. Dragging a kid around by what looks to be a leash on his neck? Ridiculous and wrong!
5
Shane
August 30th, 2009 - 5:45:11 PM
Pay attention to your kids and you won't need a leash. Some parents are ignorant.
6
Nathan
September 1st, 2009 - 2:29:04 AM
I'm a parent of a 7 year old boy, and I think those leashes are demeaning. I gave my son consequences when he strayed too far. No TV, games, books even, or an hour in his room. or I took away whatever he was interested in at the moment and made it clear why he was being punished. My son is VERY quick and VERY curious, but diligent discipline won out over the need for physical control, like a leash. Now, with a leash, the child knows he doesn't need to control himself because the parent on the other end will do it for them. I do believe this is lazy parenting. Give you kids consequences consistently (every time!) for acting out or not following close enough and they stay by your side. 4 weeks ago, my son went out of sight at a movie theater to look at some candy and gave me about a minute of great concern before I found him with his friend at the counter. Guess what? Your "play date" with your friend is now OVER because you broke the rule to stay near me. Them's the breaks.
7
Beth
September 2nd, 2009 - 11:17:33 AM
I am the parent of a 3 year old and I some what agree with Nathan most parents are lazy. If you say "threatening my child with consequences doesn't work" how many times have you actually followed through with what you say. One Tuesday (which is park day for my family) my child was talking back to me and I told her if she did it again we would not be going to the park. Of course she did it again and I told her we would not be going then she tried to be sweet and she would say "look mom I'm being nice". Even though she changed her attitude and was cute as could be the rest of the day she still did not get to go to the park. My point is this mom could have gave him a chance to straighten up or threatened him with taking a toy away, but if she hasn't followed through before that would explain why she had to drag him across the floor. I would not have drug my child across the floor because that is still saying my child is head of the house not me or my husband. I'm sorry but I would have given my child an option and if she still didn't listen you would have seen her get her butt spanked. There is a difference between spanking and beating! If a parent is not beating a child there is no reason to call DFACS. I don't know what went on with this kid but at the end of the video he gets up when she stops. So either she made her point to him or he probably thought it was funny and started acting up. If she was doing it just to be cruel to the child I understand turning her in, but if the child was still acting up and trying to get attention shame on the person who turned her in. Although if the child saw his mom get taken away because of him maybe he will do better.
8