hard future for 11 with unmet needs

Today I met a mother at the park. She is 32 years old and expecting her 9th child. She was there with 4 of her children. Her husband yelled at and threatened the children with a switch from the parking lot. I asked the mother, "Does he use that on the children?" She replied, "oh yes, we woop them all the time otherwise they'd run all over you". I swallowed hard and listened. She was doing the best she knew to do. My mind was yelling, "I've got to say something,....what do I do?"

In the end, what I did was give her my card, invite her to call me sometime, and waved goodbye to her and her family as they left.

No one in that home is getting their needs met. It began with the parents not getting their needs met as children.

Just like all the other times I've observed angry adults with children, I ran scripts of what I could have said through my head. From pleading to demanding, nothing seemed like it would cause peace for that man and his children. Nothing short of a team of committed and loving people who have been trained to listen, listen and love. And in that moment.... nothing short of a loving statement "Dear man, do not speak that way toward your children. For you are speaking to you..... and you deserve to be spoken to with love and honor."