ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Real Life

Mum outraged when son spanked by mother-in-law

What would you do? - by Eliza Murray
  • 24 Aug 2017
Mum outraged when son spanked by mother-in-law

A horrified mum has turned to online for advice after her mother-in-law spanked her 10-year-old son.

She begins by explaining that it had been a long day of shopping with her husband, daughter, 3, son, 10, and her husband’s mother. They had ended dup at a restaurant for dinner and her son was misbehaving by hitting his sister with a bag of shopping. 

‘Before I had a chance to intervene [my mother-in-law] struck [my son] quite harshly making him cry in shock and gave him a good telling off,’ she writes on Mumsnet.  

‘I've never smacked any of my children as it's strongly enforced in my home that hitting is wrong… I stopped the shopping trip immediately and we went home. Everyone in the car was very quiet and there was a horrible atmosphere.’ 

'I hate it and can’t understand why any parent would hit their child'

When she checked on her son, he revealed that his grandmother had spanked him before. 

‘I told my [husband] to call her instantly and tell her to keep her hands off my children,’ she says - but also says he is avoiding being assertive because he doesn’t want to upset his mother.

‘Am I being unreasonable that I don’t want her to smack my children? I hate it and can’t understand why any parent would hit their child.’

Commenters were quick to tell her she was being perfectly reasonable.  

‘I would be fuming! How dare she!’ wrote one.  

Another added: ‘Cruel and unnecessary, would not be leaving her with her again anytime soon until she has admitted to her wrongs and apologised.’

'I would call her and tell her this is never, ever to happen again.'

One person did play Devil’s advocate and suggest that sometimes a little slap is not out of order: ‘I am not adverse to a smack - but by that I mean a slap on the hand of a toddler if they reach for something dangerous, or we always used to get a slap on the bum - and it really only was when we had put ourselves in danger, to get a big shock from it - and never very hard.’

Most people wondered why she needed her husband to call the mother-in-law anyway.

‘Yep, I would call her and tell her this is never, ever to happen again or she will not be able to see the children. Nobody smacks my kids.’

‘To be honest, I would have had it out with her there and then though. Your child needs to see that what his grandmother did was wrong and that you will protect him from that.’

This article first published on New Idea.

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life!

Recommended to you

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis
Watch 0:37

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis

{headline}

{headline}

I turn people into art!

I turn people into art!

Holly the heart hero

Holly the heart hero

30-year heartbreak  - who killed Kerry Turner?

30-year heartbreak - who killed Kerry Turner?

My runny nose was cancer

My runny nose was cancer

{headline}

{headline}

I was paralysed at the beach

I was paralysed at the beach

Horror at the servo - I was abducted and raped

Horror at the servo - I was abducted and raped

My husband forgot I was his wife so we wed twice

My husband forgot I was his wife so we wed twice

{headline}

{headline}

Empty nesters... so we adopted SEVEN kids!

Empty nesters... so we adopted SEVEN kids!

Back from the brink!

Back from the brink!

A cockatoo proposed to me!

A cockatoo proposed to me!

Brave Ellie - 420 days in hospital for a new heart!

Brave Ellie - 420 days in hospital for a new heart!

I woke up with no hands and feet

I woke up with no hands and feet

How chalk found me love!

How chalk found me love!

Gone for 13 minutes – then my boy came back to life!

Gone for 13 minutes – then my boy came back to life!

ThatsLife
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy
ThatsLife Magazine Subscribe
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Who
  • Girlfriend
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • 7mate
  • 7Sport
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to That's Life!