Photo: Ermolaev Alexander/ Shutterstock.com/ Amanda Mitchell/ Facebook.com
She stripped her daughter's room of anything fun.
By Victoria Soliz — Written on Nov 06, 2022
Disciplining your child is an important part of parenthood. It’s up to the parents to teach their children the difference between right and wrong and the consequences that come along with that.
But one mom’s punishment has sparked a debate on if she went too far.
The mom posted on Facebook to share the fake juvenile detention she set up for her daughter.
The story was picked up by Distractify in 2018, sharing the now-deleted Facebook post and original photos along with the post.
In the deleted Facebook post, the mom outlines how the punishment came to be.
The mother, under the name Amanda Mitchell, shares how she first got a call from her daughter’s school outlining that she has been “acting up all week in class.”
“At least two days in a row has been found wandering the halls during lunch when she is required to remain with her class. Was picking on one of her best friends and really hurt the little one’s feelings. Lying to teachers about her own (AMAZING) teacher,” Mitchell explained.
So as a consequence, Mitchell decided it was fitting to strip her daughter’s room of practically everything.
“Welcome to Mommy's Juvenile Detention little girl,” Mitchell said.
“Harsh? Not in my opinion. If she grows up to break the law then the result is jail and that's not what I want for my children. I think the problem with this generation is inadequate punishment. Punishment is bad, we should only use positive reinforcement and ignore all bad behavior - NOT in this house."
On top of this, Mitchell said her daughter was also expected to write phrases like, "I will not lie” and "I am responsible for my own actions” 50 times by hand for each day of the week.
The mom shared disturbing photos.
Attached to the Facebook post were photos of the room, showcasing the extent of the punishment.
Facebook
The room was stripped of any decor, the sheets were stripped from the bed, and her clothes were placed at the edge of the bed: a single outfit for the week with underwear and socks for each day of the week.
Publicly humiliating your children does more harm than good.
While it’s important to teach your children that their actions have consequences, public shaming does nothing more than harm your child.
A popular family blog Very Well Family outlines just some of the reasons why this never works.
“Not only do you lose considerable relational equity, but shaming kids in public or online also tears down trust and self-esteem. At the same time, it zaps your child's motivation to engage in the very behaviors you're trying to encourage,” they write.
The after-effects of shaming can be forever damaging and lasting on a child’s psyche.
“Shaming kids is also dangerous because shame tends to be a feeling that sticks around, and it often lasts longer than you realize or intend. So, while it may seem on the surface like parents who shame their kids on social media get results, recognize that this approach to parenting actually damages two things you're working hard to create: your child’s self-esteem and your long-term relationship,” they further explained
Instead of shaming, it’s important to focus on communicating with your child over anything else.
Victoria Soliz is a writer with YourTango who covers news and entertainment content. Her work explores pop culture trends, film and TV, and celebrity news