On Children by Gary D. Moore

Having never been a parent, it is difficult to predict the things that I would do differently if that were my child. The ill treatment of some parents toward their young ones makes me cringe. Foremost among abuse is... verbal. Words are more life affecting than physical castigation. There is no doubt that that negative criticism about my inadequacies has carried over into adult life. Personal attacks have dramatically affected me.

A situation occurred in a coin-operated laundry in the mid-80s... a young boy, eight or nine years old, forgot the location for his baseball practice. Yes, the young man inconvenienced his father because they drove to an empty field. "You idiot! You DUMMY!" was the father's vicious reprimand. It seems as though that father would rather not have the young man interfering with his life. However, that parent could have taken an interest in knowing a little more about his son. Perhaps, getting a schedule, and recording the location of practices and games. Idiot and dummy must have been said many times to the young man, enough to have him seemingly ignore the disparaging words. Does this little guy do well in school, or does the dummy, idiot fail because he is convinced that he is stupid?

Another incident at the same Saturday morning laundry location... involved a young mother about 25 years old. She yelled at a five or six year old petit little girl with a voice that filled the laundry…above the whirling washers and thundering dryers. The young girl was playing with her brothers and sisters and not helping the mother. Mom was not doing anything except waiting for a dryer to finish its cycle. Some unknown incident sparked the round of yelling, "...and don't let the door hit you in your a--!" The young girl hung her head in shame, knowing that her mother was angry (the mother had no intent of retracting her words). The vulgarity slung at this frail little child is inexcusable. Did the mother get similar treatment as a child? My heart broke for the young girl. This is horribly wrong.

What are thoughts of a little person caught in such a circumstance? Why should a child receive such treatment when they have done little or nothing wrong? Their crime is being young and perhaps, unwanted. Will the boy treat his children as he has been treated? Will the young girl do the same? Will the vicious verbal cycle continue? How will ten more years of abuse affect these children?

As stated, it is easy for me to criticize…having never be a parent, but I am not critical without concern. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is a rule with repercussions that reverberate for generations. Abuse must stop.