Reflections 3: Kids Hitting Parents

Have been observing the modern and I may add, brainless parents. These are parents that allow their kids, out of tantrums mind you, to hit, punch and slap them and, like magnanimous monomaniacs, say 'It is okay, they’re only kids what' or 'My kid is born hyper…' – with a smile.

Yah, let it continue. When they start hitting you when they are 13 years onwards or when you’re old and frail and they continue to hit you, remember the reasoning you convinced yourself ‘They are only kids what’.

YOU allowed it. Habit, not arrested leads to consent. When you realized it is time to stop, and physically comparing yourself to your grown kid, it will be too late.

For whatever reason, children DO NOT hit parent and that applies even to a two year old toddler! The kid got to know his place. It is okay to express anger, and I always encourage that, it does not however permit the anger to transform to physically hitting out or shouting at their parent.

If the kid hits me, after a warning or getting their parents’ consent, I’ll hit back, I mean they’ve been warned right? You punch, I’ll punch. You kick, I’ll kick. You bite, I’ll bite – haven’t tried that though. Word of caution, please DO NOT apply adult strength here. Once, my kid challenged me to push her. So I did. And she 'flew' three feet Superman (or girl) style before landing! That is another story altogether.

The whole exercise is just to let them know, if they choose to hurt others, this is how it feels on the receiving end! When this is applied, you can be quite sure they’ll think twice about laying another whack at SmackDad.

Then again, if they are being playful and your kid goes overboard ‘hitting’ you, do you hit them back? Admittedly, I didn’t get it initially till one day, my little one with teary eyes told me ‘Daddy, I am just playing only.’ Then daddy realised – oh shit.

Hey, daddy got to learn too – when to pull back, relax and laugh with the kids!

Incidentally, parents if you are in a frequent shouting match, or can’t stop wringing each other’s neck and physically hitting out at each other – STOP. Don’t blame the kid for being verbally and physically abusive. We are their best, and likely, only model they will emulate into their parenthood. Think about that.

And for the record, my little one is doing fine and she sustained a slight abrasion on her right knee only.

Rue of the Day: Kids will be kids; they’ll grow up okay. And so do wild grasses!

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