Parents Behaving Badly (Do We Say Something?)

When we see parents absolutely losing it at their children– and maybe even laying hands on them–are we obligated to act? Prevent Child Abuse America is clear that if you see something, you say something. The harder part is knowing what it is we've seen. We don't always know whether we're witnessing a regrettable but isolated incident or something that’s part of a pattern. We want to make sure we're not making that child less safe by publicly calling the parent out. And knowing that actually making a phone call to enlist the police or CPS might trigger a series of events that can separate parent and child, we want to be “very confident,” as philosophy professor Kwame Appiah explains, “that such recourse is justified.” In this episode we discuss how we've handled these moments in our own lives– and going forward, how we'll discern when need to speak up, with the knowledge of how to defuse the situation rather than further inflame it. If you feel a child is in real/imminent danger, please call 1-800-4-A-CHILD. We discuss this article in this episode: Christopher Mele for The New York Times: Should You Intervene When a Parent Harshly Disciplines a Child in Public? Special thanks to this month's sponsors: Auto Approve makes it easy for vehicle owners to find and compare their best available rates to help lower their monthly payment.To find out how much you could save, get your free quote at autoapprove.com/adalyst. Faherty offers high-quality, timeless clothing with modern design and functionality. Go to fahertybrand.com/LAUGHING and use code FRESH to snag 20% off! Firstleaf is a no-brainer if you love finding and tasting new wines! Get 6 bottles of wine for just $29.95 (and free shipping!) at tryfirstleaf.com/TODDLER. Hiya is the allergen-free, pediatrician-approved, super-powered chewable vitamin that will get your kids the full-body nourishment they need. Go to hiyahealth.com/TODDLER and receive 50% off your first order. Peloton has workouts for seriously everyone– and the Peloton Bike+ is now $500 less, including free delivery and setup. Visit onepeloton.com to learn more. Prose is the healthy hair regimen with your name all over it. Get 15% off your first order today! Go to prose.com/toddler. Thrive Market offers healthy pantry essentials and sustainable meat, plus nontoxic cleaning and beauty products. Join Thrive Market today and get $80 in free groceries! Go to thrivemarket.com/laughing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices