PDA - Public Display of Abuse

I'll never understand why ANY parent would want to slap a child in public.

I mean, there are things that you do at home that can be done in public, and things that you do at home that should never be seen in public.

Common sense, people.

Earlier today I went on the bus to go home from One Utama.

At around The Curve, there was this woman, dragging her toddler, who was screaming for reasons I cannot comprehend, and yelling at him.

I couldn't help staring at them when they got on the bus.

The mother manhandled the child onto the seat, and the child kept screaming.

The mum didn't stop yelling.

Fine la, I mean at least she was trying to control him.

But when she was done paying the bus fare, she slapped the screaming kid all over.

The kid didn't stop screaming, so she slapped his face.

I could hear the sound of the slaps really clearly and I tell you I was sitting at the back.

The woman proceeded to pulling (I think, I couldn't see clearly) his ear, really hard.

Bravo, woman. You have succeeded demonstrating a clear case of domestic violence to the rest of us.

Thank you.

Why on earth, would anyone want to do that?
People, there's this place we call home, where it's supposedly private, and you do know that slapping a 2 year old like that is considered child abuse?

I'm probably not in any position to say this, considering that it's not my kid, and parents do have the right to teach their children to behave as long as it isn't barbaric (i.e.: beating child up with iron rod).

But then again, do you HAVE to do it where 20 pairs of eyes are watching you?

And hello? It's a baby! Okay lah toddler, but still.

Aren't you supposed to be gentle with them?

And why in public?

I've come to this conclusion that parents who do this were probably neglected by their father, mother, uncles, aunties, cousins, boyfriend, girlfriend, gay partner, friends, best friends, cat, dog, fish, hamster, turtle, etc. etc.

It probably came to a sad point where they wouldn't even look at them.

Hence, in their desperation, they made a public display of themselves (with their children as scapegoats) so people would PAY ATTENTION TO THEM.

Congratulations, your plan worked!

So, note to all OTHER parents, aunties, uncles, cousins, boyfriends, girlfriends, gay partners etc. etc., please give your child/nephew/niece/boyfriend/girlfriend/gay partner/etc enough attention to prevent this from happening.

I think that mother should have slapped the boy on the huge stage in One Utama, on a weekend.

More people will see you.

More attention.

She wouldn't feel so deprived then. Poor kid.