Yesterday's Dr. Phil Show

Yesterday, I posted that I recommend that people watch Dr. Phil's show yesterday afternoon. It dealt with child abuse which is at an all-time epidemic level across the nation.

Even after hearing some of the worst stories out there, I was NOT prepared for some of the material that I saw and heard on the show. If you watched it, I am sure that you probably felt the same way as I did. Since the show was recorded by our DVR, I was able to show it with Stan when he returned home from work. He, too, was visibly shaken and torn up. Unless you do not have the heart that God blessed you with, there is no way that anyone could view this and not be torn apart. Imagine being one of those kids who live with abuse day in and day out...

At the start of the show, we saw a video that a 10-year-old girl filmed of her mother and 7-year-old brother. The mother had requested the daughter to do this so that she could send it in to Dr. Phil for "his advice on how to handle this "horrible child". Instead, it backfired on her. (Thank You, Lord!!!") Instead of Dr. Phil taking pity on this "poor out-of-control mother", he pointed out the faults that she was guilty of in front of the studio audience as well as anyone out there watching the horror on their TV screens.

What we saw was a little boy standing in a hallway with his mother who, in my opinion, is a witch with a capital "B", bent over yelling at him for "drawing 3 cards". To explain, in his school system, each student is capable of receiving the following cards:

1. Excellent Behavior
2. Good behavior
3. Time out was necessary
4. I don't remember, sorry about that.
5. Trip to the principal

On that particular day, the little boy brought home all 3 of the bottom cards. The parents were notified of the boy's behavior so that they could work with the child at home.

Believe me, this mother went completely over the edge with her choices of how to deal with him!!! (After watching the video, if I had been the boy's teacher and/or principal, there is absolutely NO WAY that I would ever send another negative card home with him or any of his other FIVE brothers and sisters!!!) After loudly scorning this little boy, the mother asked the boy what he had done at school to get into trouble. He failed to mention one of the details so his mother accused him of being a liar. If you are a liar in his house, the punishment required the penalty of the following:

1. Having hot sauce poured into your mouth (which a friend had recommended because that is how she deals with her kids) and kept there while your mother continues to reprimend you and tell you what a mess you really are to your family and society. A few minutes later, the child is allowed to spit the hot sauce into the bathroom sink next to where he was sitting. After that, the child continues to be hollered at for being such an intensely terrible person.

2. After that, you are demanded to strip all of your clothing off and step into the bathtub where you will be soaked down with the coldest water possible in the house. Of course, your mother will keep her head inside the shower so that she can make sure that the water is hitting your body as much as possible. And, of course, nasty words will continue to bathe you with how truly awful you really are.

Now, you can look at the fact that you are only seeing these actions on my blog as a good thing because you are probably not being affected by this information as much as you would have been had you witnessed the behavior firsthandedly OR on the other hand, you can realize that you have been handicapped for NOT seeing it with your own two eyes. At which point, you would have been more determined than ever to watch out for children so that you can do whatever is necessary to protect that child from any more abuse. To do that, it is your responsibility to contact your local authorities about this crime. If you see the abuse yourself, step in and get it stopped. Don't just watch it and do nothing to stop it!!!

Folks, things like this happen every day around the world! No child out there is immune from this tragedy. It could happen to any child--even your very own...... And, believe me when I tell you that it happens even in Wichita County!!!

This little boy is a twin to another boy whom this couple adopted from Russia awhile ago. According to the mother, his twin is perfect. He is quiet, shy and very creative. So, of course, he is the "good twin".

Throughout the interview, Dr. Phil's cameras panned through the audience so that we, at home, could see how others were handling the sights and sounds of the video. People reacted just as I did with crying, shaking their heads, conversing with the people sat next to them at their disbelief at what they had just seen. A few studio guests who are also mothers and Dr. Phil's wife were asked to give their opinions. All of the women were thoroughly disgusted by what they had just seen and struck back with all that they had against the mother. Dr. Phil's wife went on to reprimand her by saying that the mother is a LIAR to both the child and the rest of the world because when she adopted these children, she promised them love, a wonderful home, etc. But that is not what at least one of the twins found in the U.S. Dr. Phil went on to say that even though orphanges are never a suitable home for children, this little boy probably views it as being the best of the two homes he has had in his short life. I whole-heartedly agree!!!

Eventually, the interview came to a close and DR. Phil offered this advice. He told the mother that he was going to set up appointments for the boy with a neurologist as well as medical doctors who will test him to see what, if anything, is responsible for the child's behavioral problems. (There is a chance that he may have Asbergers which is a form of autism that still allows the child to function better than other forms of autism. He may have problems bonding with the parents (WHO WOULDN'T???). Then Dr. Phil went on to say that he is going to ask these personnel to spend time in this household. And, finally, he wants video cameras installed in every room so that the proper authorities can monitor any more behavioral punishments.

On a personal note, I realize that there are definitely children out there who exhibit major behavioral flaws. But there are always the correct as well as incorrect ways to handle the child and situation. What we saw was totally INcorrect!!! I literally pray that this child gets a major (POSITIVE) change in his life NOW. His parents definitely need their own therapy. (Actually, I would LOVE to see hot sauce poured into the mother's mouth and force her to keep it there for several minutes followed by the cold water therapy.) But, of course, that would be no more of a humane treatment for her as it would be for him. And, then, if those things don't work, take those little boys away from the family and give them to people who will genuinely love them and treat them as the gold they really are!!!

Signed,

Someone whose blood pressure has still not returned to normal