Stop Hitting Kids
Last week I shared with my Ko-Fi community that my child brought home an activity book on how to Play It Safe.
A screen capture of a coloring book page that says “Unsafe Touch: This is when someone tries to hurt us — like punching or hitting. It leaves a mark, or a bruise, welt or a cut and the hurt lasts a lonnnnng time. That’s different than-a spanking!” The last line of the description is crossed out in black crayon.
The crossed out line on this page says “That’s different than spanking!” This line implies spanking is okay. It implies that somehow a grown adult hitting a small child for “discipline” is much different than someone hitting a child for any other reason.
Spanking, corporal punishment or physical punishment is a form of abuse. It is a method that for centuries was used to proclaim power over others. The fear of being physically abused is the only tool being wielded. Fear and abuse as tools for power, control or leadership are ultimately ineffective and dishonest. Their use alongside words like love, trust, and respect are contradictory. Several studies have shown that these acts cause a long lasting effect of those being abused.
The President and Vice President of Tarrant County’s Women’s center.
What’s most wild to me is this book was distributed by the Tarrant County Women’s Center as part of their Play It Safe program which hopes to educate children on safe ways to play. Their mission also includes assisting women who are victims of domestic violence. White women constantly ensure that even when they are working “towards equality”, it’s not too much equality and not too far from patriarchal beliefs soaked in White christianity.
I told y’all I’m reading All About Love by bell hooks and it’s explained perfectly that wherever abuse is present, love cannot be. hooks writes, “We cannot claim to love if we are hurtful and abusive. Love and abuse cannot coexist. Abuse and neglect are, by definition, the opposites of nurturance and care.” hooks also talks extensively on how children are one of the most abused and underrepresented members of society.
We would never tell an adult that it’s not okay for their partner to hit them if they’re trying to “teach them something”. Stop hitting kids.
“Keep yo hands off that baby. Keep yo hands off that child.” Derric Gobourne Jr. has gone viral on TikTok for his song “There Goes Another One”.
Thank you for reading through! Hi, I’m K Mataōtama Strohl (They/Them). I’d love to be able to continue to share stories like this but I need your help to be able to do so. Please visit my Ko-Fi page to tip what you can and gain access to my other work. You can learn more about me and my work at the link below.
