if you're going to beat your kids...do it at home

Okay so the Easter outfits were out in full force today ...some a little overdone, but who am I to judge. The kids are the cutest, big frilly pink dresses, gloves and hats, just adorable.

On the way to pick up my kids, I stopped at a light and noticed an older lady, obviously a grandmother, pushing a baby in a stroller, with three toddlers in tow, all walking, and enjoying the Sunday afternoon sunshine. After grandmom makes it across the street completely, she must have forgotten about the last little girl, probably about 4 or 5 years old, who happened to be all the way on the opposite corner, and lawd hammercy stepped out into the street, attempting to cross on her own. There was a police officer in the row of traffic waiting for them to cross, and when the little girl stepped out, grandmom went back to grab her, and the cop pulled out in front of the traffic so that no one would run the baby over. To make matters worse, when the little girl finally made it across the street, she fell in her pretty Easter outfit, and literally almost fell into the sewer...thats how small she was.

Well, you would have thought it was World War III. Not only did grandmom grip her up hard out of the street, but she proceeded to slap her arond some more because the little girl was still crying. I dont know what came over me, but I couldn't take it anymore and something inside me came unhinged, and I blurted out "leave that baby alone." Yelled it. Loud. It was like I was watching myself do it. Somebody yelled out mind your business, but it didn't even phase me. Grandmom was startled, and I think she realized that not only was she out in public but also that the police were watching her too.

Now don't get me wrong. I have kids too, and I'm not one of those people who feel like kids shouldn't get spanked, because they should. Maybe even sometimes in public, like when they want to play dress up in Saks and they're running under and through the clothes racks...or the occasional time when they try to play you in public because they're around their friends...I could go on and on.

What I don't understand is how (and why) people will beat their kids down to the ground in polite company, or at all for that matter. My kids get on my nerves too, but is there EVER any reason to grip up your 5 year old and call him a bitch while other people are watching you? (Another Easter Day scene I witnessed)

I know some of you out there have witnessed what I'm talking about. Here I go getting all preachy again, but it just makes me soooo sad to think about the way that some kids are forced to grow up. If someone could be so blatant to abuse in the streets, imagine the treatment their kids endure at home, and the mark that it leaves on them as adults.

Love is all we need people...Love, and the occasional spanking.