Posted on 08/26/2007 9:04:26 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta
Nope - not disagreeing with that at all - just saying the anger goes back further than that...an adoptee has essentially been abandoned...abuse heaped on top of that is not anything to admire or ‘romanticize’ - you and I are on the same page there...
Now beating someone with a mini-baseball bat would be considered abuse. But, the 15 laps on their own before breakfast should not be. If it’s 95 degrees before breakfast when should they run? Later in the day is much hotter.
Children that are never physically punished are far more likely to finish college, have a happy marriage free of domestic abuse, and stay out of jail. There’s a direct link between the frequency and severity of physical punishment and the likelihood of the child growing up to be a violent criminal. It’s the children that were beaten that end up tossed in jail with the key thrown out.
Some statistics:
Average ranking, by state, of states with a ban on corporal punishment: 20.5
Average ranking, by state, of states where more than half the students are in counties with bans on corporal punishment: 23
Average ranking, by state, of states where less than half the students are in counties with bans on corporal punishment: 35
And black students, who are more than twice as likely to be paddled as white students, certainly aren’t growing up to be much better citizens on average. It’s not coincidence that the demographic that experiences the most physical discipline growing up is also by far the most likely to commit crimes. It’s certainly not a strong argument for how effective corporal punishment is.
But the problem is that pro-spanking advocates don’t rely on logic or research; they simply assert that it says somewhere in the Bible that you should beat your kids (in fact, the only person to say this was Solomon, a murderer and idolatror whose child grew up to be so wicked as to tear Israel apart in a civil war, so probably not the best source of parenting tips), or that they were beaten and they turned out fine, and make some false appeal to a rosy past that never existed except in the nostalgic eyes of the elderly.
"She asked for water because she had been running laps and she's like, 'I'm running away from my papa and momma [because] I don't believe in the way they discipline me,'" said Chapman.
Chapman called the police. Authorities said the girl and her brother had been forced to run 15 or more laps every day around their well-worn back yard by their adoptive parents.
"Well, the 15 laps, according to our investigation, is approximately one mile long and they were forced to run up to 50 and sometimes 100 laps in one day and if they didn't, they were punished," said Captain Kyle Helgerson of the McDonough Police Department.
The police report states the children were punished with a belt or a miniature Louisville slugger bat.
McDonough police said their investigation revealed the children were being timed as they ran around the track and if they didn't meet expectations, then they would be punished.
"The father made an admittance that the children were punished and they were forced to run laps around the back yard," said Helgerson.
"I had no idea something like this was happening right here. I wish I did a long time ago and I could have done something about it," said Chapman.
Police said because Chapman called 911, the Dinklers are now facing up to 20 years in prison for child cruelty.
"She's considered a hero in our book and we appreciate her coming forward," said Detective Chris Morris of the McDonough Police Department.
The Dinklers are being held on a $100,000 bond each.
It was a whole lot more than '15 laps before breakfast'
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4024548&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
I also wonder if the fitness-freak parents were running with the children, or sitting on their behinds watching the kids run?
Anyone found an article that shows a picture of the parents?
So why did the wife have to spend an extra day in jail?
If they could only afford bond for one the first day, I would think a Southern gentleman would let his wife go home first.
I had actually thought of doing the lap thing around the local baseball park (before reading this thread). Especially since my older child isn’t as likely to run on his own. But, yes, I’d try to run with the children. I say try, since I’d also have to make sure I stayed with the 3 year old. Depends on how fast he goes.
I saw a picture in the links. They look like typical, middle class white folks. One of the links had a video that showed the backyard. It was actually more a formal track that had been beaten down than a suburban back yard. One article mentioned the kids were Slavic (can’t remember the country - Estonia? Latvia?) and had emotional and mental problems before they were adopted
If you want your child to exercise why not let them play sports? Track, baseball, football, basketball, swimming? They can have some fun and make friends.
I only hope they are treated well in foster care, and I hope they get back with the Dinklers - their parents - as soon as possible.
This girl would have come home by nightfall. She was angry at being told to do something or at having been punished. She got back at her adopted mother, and now the whole family - including her brother - is going through great pain because of her temper. I hope she learns, modifies her response to anger issues, and gets back with her family.
I just wondered if the parents looked like runners, or exceptionally physically fit. Hard to tell from the pics shown - the mother looks a little bit chunky in those.
Since you know them, can you answer my question in post #66? Thanks!
“’What draws the line between discipline and abuse is when marks are left on children,’ she said. ‘It’s always safest to make a report and let the authorities determine whether or not it warrants an investigation.’”
We must fiercely militate against this being the standard for determining what is “abuse.” It is very possible to but bruises on a child when the form of discipline is in every respect appropriate.
All over the United States, children are being taken into custody, made to disrobe by government people who are strangers, allowing inspection for bruises and marks.
Virtually all of us who have maintained the use of the the “rod” in the practice of bibilcal child training and discipline, have, from time-to-time, left red stripes and bruises on our children; on the buttocks and on the hind part of the upper legs. This is not abuse, and we must begin telling government people that we will not let them or the neighbors, set the standards.
Proverbs 20:30 — The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Proverbs 10:13 — In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
Proverbs 13:24 — He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Proverbs 22:15 — Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Proverbs 23:13 — Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Proverbs 23:14 — Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Proverbs 26:3 — A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Proverbs 29:15 — The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Further, what is abusive about physical training? We ran laps in a public high school phys ed class. We ran laps in military PT. I ran laps around Newark and Fremont, California for wind capacity expansion (special exercises for this while running) when I was a teenager.
We have our children exercise vigorously every day. We use the rod when necessary in discipline.
Parents who understand these things, along with their pastors or rabbis, or other, need to start doing some serious writing about these issues and visiting state legislative offices. The child “protective” people in our county and state governments need to be re-educated to understand what we are doing and why. Their power needs to be reigned in.
You certainly don’t know how to evaluate statistics for relevancy.
If they don't exercise enough, do you deny them their meals?
Do you use a miniature baseball bat as a "rod"?
Because those sports cost more money than I can afford right now. My daughter played softball for a few weeks this summer. Of course, first thing they did to warm of every morning was run laps.
BTW, we had thought of doing the YMCA, but they go by gross income. Since we look like we make a bit of money on paper, we would have to pay $50 + a month to use their facilities. Maybe when I start selling Watkins I’ll consider it again.
My biggest issue with the whole matter is the way the neighbor and the officer got on Television and ran their mouths like broken water mains. I guess it built up their egos, and made them feel important.
Report the suspected child abuse, do the investigation and arrest if needed, DO NOT GET ON THE LOCAL NEWS AND SLANDER people you do not have all the facts on. The neighbor and the officer should be sued. The county sued, and the officer repremanded.
Those stats are probably as relevant as the global warming stats that just got revised.
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