What Do You Do When You See Children Being Mistreated?

Saturday is Child Abuse Day at Wal-Mart. Or so a friend tells me. She won't go there on Saturdays for that reason.

We've all seen it. You're standing in line to check out. It could be any store or any place. And there's a mother (usually it's the mother) with a child who got on her last nerve three weeks ago and she's venting her anger at the child. It's a few degrees short of legal abuse. You can't call the authorities and leave it up to someone else. Do you turn your back, get in another line, say something to the mother, say something to the child, say something to God, say something to the cashier, or what?

I don't have the answer. Usually I try to make eye contact with the child and smile, giving him/her what I hope is a loving and supportive look. "The world loves you even if your mother seems not to" I try to say with my face. Is that lame or what?

I will say something if the child is standing in the shopping cart and the mother is talking on her phone and not watching. I'm not treated like a hero for this intervention, but I know I am. I've added five minutes to that child's miserable life.

But what to do about the over-the-top behavior we see in public places? (And dear Lord protect that child in private.)

I wrestle with this every Saturday at Wal-Mart. Sometimes it's a teenaged mother who will never be equipped to raise that child. Sometimes it's somebody you would think would know better.

I feel like I should say something, not be a silent witness to what is a kind of child abuse. I don't know what to say, and pray that God will give me the words.

What do you think? What do you say?

Comments

[jae]

If you find an answer, please let me know.

I'm now a mandatory reporter and unless it's very obvious, I have no idea what to report.