The February 13th episode of Supernanny is beyond my mom logic. Have you seen it? It's the one now suffering a media onslaught (ratings hit) and child abuse investigation of its latest family in crisis.
It went down like this - The Davis Family, a Deltona, Florida clan of five, is the latest catalyst in extreme reality TV.
Papa Davis is a bearded blonde who casually slaps, drags, verbally abuses and generally mistreats his children, including his engaging but contumacious 4-year-old twins.
His physicality seems to divide most viewers into two camps; there's the "it's no worse than what my parents did to me" crowd versus the "lock 'em up" flock who tend to view this episode as the most appalling form of child abuse to hit the airwaves since Supernanny debuted.
Jo Frost, as Supernanny, is appropriately alarmed but the fact that the producers let the episode air and the behavior continue on set is either the result of an unrepentant greed (a customary staple in the info-tainment genre) or a sincere desire to exploit this family as a means of [perhaps] causing attention and thereby the involvement of the authorities.
Or maybe nobody thought it was that big of a deal. Who knows?
Fact is, Papa Bear exhibited some extreme behavior and what's scarier is that he most likely toned it down for his TV debut. So let us remember a few Golden Parenting Rules that you just can't ignore, especially on national TV.
1. Don't hit your kids, it's a well documented fact that spanking doesn't work.
2. If you want NICE kids - BE NICE to your kids.
3. The attitude of "Do what I say, not what I do" went the way of the DODO and you ARE one if you use it and expect to be taken seriously.
Seems simple, right?
Hitting, slapping and smacking don't need to be classified as "child abuse" to tell us that it's wrong, emotionally damaging and ineffective.
We don't allow adults to hit adults, why should we accept that adult parents can hit their kids?
Spanking, no matter how airy fairy and cutesy you make it, regardless of whether you use your hand or rod and irrespective of the fact that you think it's inconsequential, IS humiliating, degrading and one of the most disrespectful and blatant forms of emotional violence.
Not to mention the real lesson you are imparting on your children is: It’s okay to hit someone (especially weaker) in order to get your way.
The actions of Papa Davis, while not violent enough for some to be considered true physical abuse, are most definitely emotional abuse.
Hi actions have caused more damage to his children than he may ever understand. It’s a sad American epidemic.
There is another way. I hope this man finds it.
Talk soon,
Lori
What do you think? Post your comments below!