Comments on: Trip to Mommy Insanity Land. Pack the Tabasco?

By: Richmond_Mom

Richmond_Mom — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:11:09 +0000

Heather we're sorry you feel this way. Kat has written for us before on "pet parenting" and Her view was very well-received. We like to offer a variety of viewpoints to all our readers and welcome comments, and hope that all posts will inspire readers to consider another's point of view.

By: Heather Beam

Heather Beam — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:49:42 +0000

Is the author of this piece really comparing 'parenting' her cats to parenting children!? Is she seriously talking about placing her cats in time-out? I believe she's implying that being a cat owner is like being a parent. Not even close. And I'm disappointed in Richmond Mom for stooping and publishing material like this (unless of course it's meant to be a joke).

By: kate

kate — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:12:14 +0000

I will share that I cried for this little boy, and for other children that have behaviors some perceive as "unacceptable" when the child is not choosing to misbehave but survive as best as he can using coping skills learned from past experiences. We may not be talking about the same little boy or the same newscast. Unfortunately inappropriate consequences are likely placed upon more children that we realize. ..children with prior coping skills that are not understood or accepted in a new family, children with impulsivity from ADHD, children who have undiagnosed issues which affect behavioral impulse control. As parents, I feel we need to stop and think about our child and try to understand where the behavior is coming from. CAN he or she really think through a learned or impulse behavior to the consequences that might be inflicted? Do we need to be as severe as this mom? I surely hope not. I hope that as parents we think about the possible underlying motivation of a child's "inappropriate" behavior and consider what we are teaching with consequences and how we want to teach better choices. Punishment such as tabasco or teaching better choices….I think these are 2 very different methods of discipline.

By: Kate C

Kate C — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:11:53 +0000

The child in the news story supposedly lied to the mom. This little boy, if it is the same newscast I saw, is an adopted child from an orphanage in Russia. He was adopted as an older toddler along with his twin brother. It was reported that he lied to protect his brother, and the tabasco was his consequence for lying. The children growing into toddler years in an orphanage learn to lie, hoard food, and do other " unacceptable" behaviors in order to survive. Surely this mom was educated before she brought this little guy home as to what his behaviors might be until he had the chance to realize that he would be receiving love, nurturing, food.. .that his basic needs would be met without the behaviors he learned in the orphanage to provide for/protect himself and his twin.

By: Jenni Vosten

Jenni Vosten — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:45:11 +0000

Really, you have cats and you want to write about parenting? WOW!