I was searching on the internet yesterday, looking for other single parent websites. I came across a few that I was very interested in and proud of the parent who wrote it.
As Google does, it returned me the words I asked for. I think my search phrase was “single parent” or it may have been “single father”.
I found this blog that was really a grab bag of a lot of things. There was this video on the page that said something like “Don’t spill my coffee again!” above it. It looked like a professional video, so I was thinking, “ok, I could use a laugh right now.”
I clicked play and watched a dad and his two kids, they were at a restaurant eating breakfast. The waitress comes over and pours the father more coffee. She spilled a little on the coaster that the cup rested on and once the cup was full she moved on.
The dad looks at his kids and says, “That b!tch spilled my coffee!” They show the kids, and you could see the fear in their eyes. The father then gets up and throws the waitress down, pours the burning coffee all over her face and shirt and is yelling at her, “Don’t spill my coffee ever again!!”
I caught my self with my mouth wide open and waiting for the funny part and realized this was a commercial for Domestic Violence that someone thought would be funny to show in a humorous light. I didn’t find it funny at all.
In this modern day and age we find so many violent things funny. There is no way this was funny though. The message in the video was very good. At the end you heard a narrator of sorts say, “This isn’t accepted here, why would it be accepted at home.” The website owner was really reaching for humor with the light they showed the video in though.
Years ago, when I was a photojournalist for the Air Force, I shot pictures of domestic violence cases on the bases I was stationed at. You would think being in the military would stop people from doing those things, the issue is they feel like they can get away with it easier. I was called in more times than I can ever remember to photograph beaten wives and children. So this video was more than just a video, it brought alot of memories rushing back.
I guess I will NEVER understand what makes a grown person beat a kid for any reason. I am a firm believer in discipline and spanking your child if they get way out of line. Although even with that, you NEED to have a control of yourself. I can remember so many times spanking my daughter. The first one is hard and swift the rest are dull little taps. You know the difference, the child does not. Even with that though, I have not spanked my daughter in at least two or three years. She doesn’t need it. Now she understands more from me raising my voice or giving her a certain look. We then talk about the issue and it’s done. Who knows if what I have done or am doing is right. I have done my best. And that is all I can do.
Sorry this post is not cheerful or funny. I have been thinking about that video and thought I would share.
