Supernanny family investigated for child abuse
The short video clip shows a father, Phil Davis of Deltona smacking his small child in the mouth on national television as part of the recent Feb. 13. episode of Supernanny.
Apparently some viewers and officials with the state Department of Children & Families took issue with that treatment. The agency is investigating complaints of child abuse and neglect reported by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
DCF in its investigation is trying to make sure the family is receiving counseling, that the behavior seen on the show is not continuing and that the children are safe, Harrell said.
First of all, I see nothing wrong with a pop in the mouth now and again as punishment for certain behaviors. Recently with my kids having braces, my new latest threat to them is turning their lips to hamburger if they ever think their large attitude in a six-foot body is big enough to take mom on.
Let’s think about this for a minute – the father was being taped. Do you really think he would engage in abuse while being recorded? Furthermore, do you think it might have been included in the scenes to create drama and chaos to get people talking about the show?
Um Hello! It worked!
I’ll be interested in seeing how this one turns out – but from where I stand, he was just a dad doing his job to get a firm handle on his child. Let the days in which kids feared the strong hand of dad return. We’ve been under the timeout, negotiation, eagle eye watch far to long and look what it’s getting us! Kids need to have something to fear or they grow up being adults who don’t fear the justice system.
What in the world????
I totally agree with you on this part:
**Kids need to have something to fear or they grow up being adults who don’t fear the justice system.**
Unless you are just trying to be funny and missed the mark, you truly are an idiot. While discipline is needed, this guy was slapping his kids as he casually walked by them. Did you ever think that this guy was probably on his *best* behavior for the cameras? Or were you just too excited to see a possible excuse for you to use when striking your own children – ‘well, the guy on tv did it, it must be ok’. Frighteningly, you mentioned you have kid*s* – fantastic. Maybe the next conversation should be about behavior testing, parenting training or licensing that should be needed before any goofball can procreate (that means ‘have kids’ for the uneducated who slap their kids around).
There is a difference between punishment and abuse. Somewhere along the lines some whimp assed parents decided to make them one in the same.
My mouth was smacked for back talking, sassing and disrespect – I turned out just fine.
I look around my town and see kids who were put in time out and they don’t fear their parents in any way shape or form.
Then we wonder why our prisons are full and there’s a need to build more?
Could it be that children who do time out grow up to see prison as time out?
Not much difference between the two when you stop to think about it.
Thanks for the support Tanyetta. It’s nice to see some parents out there who are still kickin’ it old school
I think he was was/is an abusive father. The scene where he slapped her on the mouth was shocking. It is soooo disrespectful and kids deserve respect too…just as much as adults do. I don’t want my kids growing up thinking anyone can manhandle them like that.
Good parents don’t need to resort to slapping, hitting, or even threatening to get their message across. The time out parents you say you know are probably just passive, lenient parents. Not all peaceful parents are though. That is a big assumption.
I for one don’t want my kids to grow up being taught to “fear”. I want them to understand the consequences and realize that their ultimate goals should prohibit them from certain behaviors. No need to let fear be a motivator. Why not vision instead?
I found the father’s actions to be bad. There is nothing right about hitting your kid in the face for being bad (especially with braces- ouch :[ ). The way he talked to his kids was also despicable, especially his stepdaughter. Mr. Davis is no better than that Bowersock lady who was on last season.
Another thing too. If the dad’s punishments worked so well, then why was Supernanny called, hmm?
I am with Gayla on this one. I was backhanded many a time as a child, and I am fine. I am not bitter about it, I have an excellent relationship with my mother, and a firm grip on reality.
Kids don’t deserve respect just for existing. They must earn it. You think when they grow up, thier bosses, spouses and friends will automatically respect them? So what kind of let-down is that?
I don’t like the way society is telling us to live. Kids are bringing guns to school, and bombs. Gang beatings, pregnancy pacts??? WTH is that? If we did that sh*t when we were kids, our parents would kick our a**es. And rightfully so. Instead we get behaviour modification drugs and counselling? Discussions? It’s a joke.
Now, having said that, I do not hit my children. I have spanked my children, and my older son has had probably 3 smacks in his mouth in his life. But they both are well adjusted, well behaved children, and they love me with every fibre of their being, and they know I love them just as much or more. Balance. We have it in our home, and it can be attained in other homes as well.
As I watched this episode, I was in utter disbelief that 1, ABC would actually show this episode & 2, why didnt ABC report this family to CPS (oh yea, I forgot, they are making $$$$$! how dumb of me). This “man” not only hits his children but he also called his oldest daughter a slut & bitch. The worse was when the lazy mom was sleeping in bed and her young daughter wanted something. So in response to her daughter whining, so hits her right in the face. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!
I totally gotta go with tanyetta on this one im 19 years old and i always got slapped when i was out of line, key: OUT OF LINE time out didnt scare me in the least bit and i have many friends who were just time out kids… trust me now you can tell the difference. I will agree however this man was pushing it and I dont know as if Im with him on some of his tatics like the belt thats just makes him a bully he was too quick to jump to that form of punsihment however he seemed to have learned other ways to approach the situations and all we can hope for is the best the police are watching him closely and i think we can all trust that the embarassment alone will get him to change a few of his ways if not all of them.
oops sorry i guess im with GAYLA on it.. and you too tanyette
Kids don’t deserve respect just for existing? What???? Well, why have CPS or even laws about child abuse then? Apparently a 3 month old needs to EARN respect.
This is exactly the attitude that leads kids into drugs or abusive relationships. They don’t think they are good, worthy, or deserving of respect so they don’t respect themselves and try to better themselves.
Thanks for the story, I never caught the show but I think that if you need to smack your child it is fine as long as you don’t beat the hell out of them for no reason.
I don’t believe there is any excuse for hitting a child in the face. That is not discipline but an impulsive and violent reaction to something, which is not appropriate. I was spanked as a child and the difference is that it was not an off-the-cuff instant angry response, but “that behavior is not acceptable, you are going to be punished” and then taken in another room and spanked. It was established as punishment and I never felt that it was done in anger, but as discipline. It did not have to happen very often, let me tell you. There is a reason that the phrase “a slap in the face” is used to describe something insulting. Never, never appropriate.
this guy that slapped his kid called his daughter those horrible names should be in jail.it never should have hit tv apart from to be on worlds dumbest criminals….i wouldn’t treat my dog the way those people treat their kids it horrible those children should have been removed from that house…people think they can beat their kids cause their not tough enough to fight back thats why prisons are full because eventually when those beaten children become adults they are tough enough and they feel like they have to prove it…THERE IS NO EXCUSE HITTING YOUR CHILD IS ABUSE…telling yourself you were hit as a child may help you justify it to yourself but it does not make it right how can you raise a child to know not to be violent just because your angry if your violent to them every time you feel angry…children do not respond well to mixed messages and that is exacly what people who hit their kids do it’s not right and it’s not fair you people are sick have a heart…
I grew up in a house where the hand of dad was feared, my dad had anger issues, and we spent our childhood walking on egg shells. I have been dead set against having my kids live with that, and my kids are well behaved, they have respect for the law, and they know that if you have to resort to name calling, screaming, and hitting, you’ve already lost everything, all you are proving is what an out of control tool and bully you are.
But go ahead, encourage this kind of behavior, especially with dads and their daughters. I was just thinking there aren’t enough women and children in battered women’s shelters. Or better yet, who needs the shelters, close ‘em all down and tell those wusses to suck it up and take what’s coming to them. /heavy sarcasm
Did none of you watch the show?? Yes, child abuse is bad. Yes, some of what he did was child abuse and should be stopped.
But he DID get help. Jo stopped it. AND she got him into anger management, which is the same thing that CPS would do. I know my friend’s dad got called on by CPS. And you know what at least this dad wanted the help.
Now, what do you think he feels about the system. He tried and their still trying to “get” him.