Is it normal mom disciplined son by holding his mouth?

21% Normal

I saw a mom at a garage sale silence her fussy 8 year old son by holding her hand over his mouth, and then she kept his mouth held shut like that for about 15 minutes while she was chatting with neighbors. He made a few noises but mostly just stood there silently peering around with his mother's hand over his mouth. I didn't know whether to say something to her or mind my own business.

After chatting she took him aside, still holding his mouth, and she was whispering in his ear. He made some angry unintelligible noises and was tossing his head back and forth, back and forth. So she kept her hand clamped over his mouth another 10 or 12 minutes until they got into their car to leave.

Voting Results

21% Normal

Based on 24 votes (5 yes)

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Comments ( 18 )

Mnda1996

7 years ago

That's a great example of terrible parenting. Women like that should not be moms. This is teaching the child that he has no right to speak and not giving him any good reason as to why he can't speak( this type of discipline contributes to fussiness). Unfortunately it is normal because in this day and age alot of people suck at parenting and just put there child in front of a screen to keep them quiet. I work at a restaurant right now and see this type of shit all time.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  7 years ago
  
  Yes, I too have seen this done in restaurants before, but only for a few seconds and not to such an extreme.
  
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Thorolf

7 years ago

I don't see what was so wrong. If he was being annoying, she SHOULD shut him up

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  7 years ago
  
  But still... holding her hand over the boy's mouth for a total of almost half an hour??!
  
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  - Thorolf
    
    7 years ago
    
    Okay that does sound a little unreasonable and unnecessary. I feel like he would've stopped after a few minutes of keeping him quiet. But still, it doesn't sound painful or anything. It's not like she punched, kicked, or spanked him.
    
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mysistersshadow

7 years ago

Not enough info to form a conclusion. Maybe shes awful maybe it was necessary. Don't know them so can't say. Its better than beating him.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  7 years ago
  
  The neighbors who were talking with this woman acted like they weren't even noticing that she had her hand fastened over the boy's mouth minute after minute after minute after minute... The incident sort of rattled me but I thought, maybe they understood something I didn't?
  
  Or maybe like me they just didn't have the nerve to say anything about it, even though she was doing it right in front of them?
  
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  - mysistersshadow
    
    7 years ago
    
    Like I said I have no idea I don't know them. Some ppl are terrible parents some ppl are terrible children
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      7 years ago
      
      I'm loosely acquainted with this woman though I don't know her that well. In the end I could only *suspect* that some of the neighbors there *perhaps* knew more about this woman and her son and their situation than I did.
      
      In short, I think you and I are pretty much in agreement though I'm doing more handwringing over it.
      
      Possibility A: This woman snapped, gave in to her anger, went over to the dark side and became Darth Mama, and is now a candidate for Mother of the Year booby prize.
      
      Possibility B: The boy is hell on wheels, and she'd already discussed this issue with him and told him, "If you interrupt me once more, I'm going to hold your mouth shut"... and then she followed through and turned the little hellion into a boy with no mouth.
      
      Possibility C: He acts up a lot, she holds his mouth a lot, it takes two to tango.
      
      Possibility D: ???
      
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      - mysistersshadow
        
        7 years ago
        
        All of this is just another reason I don't want to ever have kids.
        
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Rihyae

7 years ago

Should have given him a chewy candy made of fruit like ginger chews or organic fruit snacks.

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finn

7 years ago

Yeah so?? She wasn't suffocating him. He could still breathe. What would you have preferred? Hitting him?

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- Mnda1996
  
  7 years ago
  
  He could still breath... Lol that's perfect ,great argument
  
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  - finn
    
    7 years ago
    
    Would you be saying these things if you were on an airplane and the little shit was acting up kicking your chair etc? You would be thinking the parents should take control and do something. The mom did. Hooray for her.
    
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    - Mnda1996
      
      7 years ago
      
      Yeah I would be saying these things because I stand by what I believe in, and just because I don't believe in authoritarian discipline doesn't mean I think disciple is wrong. As a parent I strongly stand by mutual respect for your child.
      
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- Ellenna
  
  7 years ago
  
  So you wouldn't mind if someone say, twice your size, did that to you because they didn't want you to speak?
  
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  - finn
    
    7 years ago
    
    We don't know the whole story. We don't know what happens in their house. Why be a busy body? So now we have to police each other for Everything? To me the kid wasn't being abused he was just being disciplined. In my opinion, there should be more of that.
    
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    - Ellenna
      
      7 years ago
      
      We do know what OP describes happened, but this argument is pointless. There will always be people who think it's ok for adults to physically abuse people much smaller than them in the name of discipline and those of us who believe children have the right to a life free from abuse and from being taught physical violence is acceptable.
      
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Is it normal mom disciplined son by holding his mouth?