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Medical Video: Onlooker harasses parent with different race child l What Would You Do
When you are busy shopping, you see a mother who snaps and hits her child - for whatever reason. Then without much laughter, the mother continued to look away and leave the child trailing behind her while holding back sobs.
After the death of mother and child, you are now dumbfounded exchanging views with other visitors who are also equally surprised by you - do not know what to do. This is a dilemma that we often face when witnessing parents who seem to treat their children too harshly.
Should you interfere when there are adults who play rough with small children in public places?
Disciplining children in public presents certain challenges and no parent wants other people to think that they are failing to take care of children. But every time you see a parent who plays rough with his child in a public place, understand that child safety must take precedence over the dignity of the parent.
And Duffy, president and chief executive of the Prevent Child Abuse America organization, was quoted from New York Times, emphasizing that "If you witness child abuse, act."
John Cameron, head of child protection services at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), quoted from The Guardian, agreed and further explained, "Although it is easier said than done, adults have a responsibility to interfere when we see the welfare of children harmed in public."
A similar idea was also paraded by a number of other experts who agreed that we should not wait until the situation really deteriorated before being involved. "If you wait for the situation to deteriorate before acting, the drama can certainly deteriorate and then it will be difficult to begin to connect and be able to help," said Darleen Simmons, a public health educator at the Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public and chief instructor of the Wakanheza Project, who teaches strategies to relieve stressful situations.
READ ALSO: Facing Tantrum Children in Public Places
There are a myriad of reasons why we might be hesitant to protest, whether it does not want to ignite mass commotion or not qualify to intervene, but to end domestic violence (including violence against children) we must all be part of the solution. Here's how.
A safe way to interrupt adults who yell and hit children in public
Deciding when exactly to intervene in public space requires careful calculation. You have to think: If I have to intervene when I see them hit their child in public, then what extent can they do at home? "
Before you get caught up in emotions, if what you witness is only limited to parents who are angry at their children within reasonable limits (maybe a little grumble) sometimes approaching to reprimand offering help will help to distract him a lot. But also pay attention to your body language. In a state of emotion, parents pay more attention to your body language, as a stranger, than what you say.
Offer a comfort zone while still being as friendly and calm as possible; hold the desire to judge regardless of the response they give. Practice openness and embracing and good facial expressions full of affection. Avoid putting a flat face because it will be considered a judgmental or threatening attitude. They might be defensive and yell at you "This is none of your business!". But remember, there is an extraordinary message in your presence that the child also hears and cares for you.
It's okay to show off a sincere smile soothe, "Don't cry anymore, Deck." Recognizing other people's difficulties and staying calm is the key to helping others stay calm and at the same time provide care.
READ ALSO: Do This After Delivering Snaps at Children
So, put on your best facial expressions when you are making small talk with other people, and instead judge or ask them to justify their behavior, just say "It's troublesome, sir, ma'am, take care of the child. Is there anything I can help you with? "Or" "Hello, I don't mean to idly intervene, but I see that ..." and fill in the sentence with what you observe. Comments like this express your concern as an effort to understand their difficulties, while at the same time breaking anger and shifting their focus.
In public spaces, where you don't want to risk confrontation, or the commotion of the masses, it's natural to decide to keep your distance. As an active observer, it is very important that you keep interfering in a way that you feel is safe and appropriate, even if all you can do is "accidentally" hit them, pretend to ask directions, or drop books hard to distract the person from hitting the child.
Still, don't ignore the slightest act of aggression because violence can quickly spread more severely.
Should you contact the police if you witness parents who beat children in public?
Then the question arises: "What if the adult feels humiliated after we have been crushed, and even more vents his anger on the boy when they get home?" The possible risk is that you don't know who the family is and don't have access to monitor them further away - you won't know what's happening behind the door.
Ultimately, experts say, if you believe that the child is in real physical danger or not really sure about what you are witnessing (but still overwhelmed by anxiety about the child), it is always better to provide an umbrella before it rains. That is, it's okay to be a little "lebay" and call the authorities on site to ensure your concern.
READ ALSO: Get to know the Signs of Violence in Children
"There are no definite criteria for when to report child abuse to authorities," said Police Chief Simon Bailey, of the Association of Chief Police Officers. "However, we continue to encourage community members to be vigilant and report what they see to the police." This allows the police to assess the incident in consideration of other information they might have from the family.
In the meantime, you can decide that you will not let the child escape your sight until the police arrive, for example, or continue to distract the adult from hitting his child. Remember, any simple intervention will be better than nothing, even if it only prevents him from being hit for the moment.
