Mom Arrested for Washing Kid's Mouth With Soap

[MTPorcupine3]

Good thing we didn't have CPS and company when my brother and I were growing up.

So, they take the kid to the hospital... and end up arrested. This sounds to me like an perfect incentive for parents to shun the hospital for their children– even if there's a serious condition!

[Kat Kanning]

I brush my teeth with soap every day.  Do you think I'll be arrested? 

[tomhawk]

we all got our mouth washed out with soap.  shit it stopped me from cussin!  did ya see the cub scout that got thrown out of school for bringing his camping knife in?  what is this country turning into!  It had a fork and a spoon on it.  He was like 5yrs old.  "home schooling!"

[AntonLee]

I want to cut the corners off the government's "totin' chip"

[Lex]

I've never had my mouth washed out with soap as a kid and I don't swear.

That sounds kinda disturbing that someone does that to their child. I would consider that child abuse.

[Little Owl]

That sounds kinda disturbing that someone does that to their child. I would consider that child abuse

You have got to be kidding me!  Millions of parents send their children off to public school every day.  Some even have their children chant "Barack Hussein Obama" in the school gymnasium.

And you think that washing your mouth out with soap constitutes child abuse?!?  Get some perspective!

[BillKauffman]

Child abuse is the physical and/or psychological/emotional mistreatment of children. Child maltreatment is any act or series of acts or commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child.

[KBCraig]

That sounds kinda disturbing that someone does that to their child. I would consider that child abuse

You have got to be kidding me!  Millions of parents send their children off to public school every day. 

It's much harder to wash their brains out with soap, though.

[KBCraig]

Child abuse is the physical and/or psychological/emotional mistreatment of children. Child maltreatment is any act or series of acts or commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child.

You're talking about public schools, right?

[Pat McCotter]

So I guess this has been my problem all these years. I had my mouth "washed out" twice by my grandmother. This involved biting down on a bar of Ivory to cover the teeth. The bar was then removed - no prolonged biting. This involved all bad words and included some like "darn" and "jeez".

I even get a soapy taste in my mouth when I see a Dove chocolate commercial.

[KBCraig]

I've never had my mouth washed out with soap as a kid and I don't swear.

That sounds kinda disturbing that someone does that to their child. I would consider that child abuse.

I also never had my mouth washed out with soap, and I also don't swear. Well... rarely. When people wonder why I don't drink coffee, I say that coffee is like profanity: it's most effective when reserved until it's really needed. 

But, I do not consider it child abuse. It is negative reinforcement, and is particularly effective because it is shocking, unpleasant, and memorable for the child, with no negative effects.

[BillKauffman]

I do not consider it child abuse. It is negative reinforcement, and is particularly effective because it is shocking, unpleasant, and memorable for the child, with no negative effects.

Well maybe they will have cleaner teeth but how can you say there will be "no negative" psychological effects?

[Kat Kanning]

I think the whole idea is to have a negative pyschological effect on the little cussing bastards. 

[Pat McCotter]

I do not consider it child abuse. It is negative reinforcement, and is particularly effective because it is shocking, unpleasant, and memorable for the child, with no negative effects.

Well maybe they will have cleaner teeth but how can you say there will be "no negative" psychological effects?

Are you saying there can be no positive psychological effects (other than cleaner teeth)?

Are there any studies done proving one or the other?

[Little Owl]

Well maybe they will have cleaner teeth but how can you say there will be "no negative" psychological effects?

Someone's been watching a little too much Oprah.  The whole point of punishment is to induce an unpleasant experience and create a psychological response in the child by associating the punishment with the crime.  Washing one's mouth out with soap causes neither permanent nor temporary physical damage.

Any child who suffers permanent "negative psychological effects" at the slightest act of physical discomfort has much bigger psychological problems than a mouth washing will ever induce.  How do you expect the kid to cope in the face of genuine pain not induced by a third party?

No wonder we're raising a nation of pansies!