Case in point, this story about a flight attendant, a mother and her baby (and possibly other family members).  There was some sort of encounter (the nature of which is in dispute) regarding a mother allegedly slapping her crying toddler on a plane flight.  There are all sorts of interesting factors in this extremely short report.  

For instance, the report uses the plural "parents", but makes no mention of another parental figure.  It also refers to the "family", but makes no mention if there were other children present.  The story mentions that passengers complained, but doesn't specify whether they complained about the crying or the slapping.  How is slapping defined here?  The report specifies an open hand, but doesn't indicate what sort of power was being used.  Given the cramped nature of airline seating, it's hard to imagine the mother was really wailing away at her child - which is good for any number of reasons.

It wasn't just enough for the flight attendant to either remove or offer to assist with the child.  Police were involved as a "precaution" for the child.  But it was determined that it was an "isolated" incident.  Does that mean it appears that the mother never slaps her child otherwise?  That she has never slapped the child on an airplane before?  That the complaining passengers and flight attendant were acting uncharacteristically?  

The final quote of the report is also interesting.  The Albuquerque Airport Police Commissioner affirmed the act of the flight attendant (whatever it was) because it "neutralized the situation.  It calmed everyone down."  What in the world does this mean?  Did the baby stop crying?  Were the parents calmed to know that passengers were complaining to the flight attendant?  Were the passengers calmed to be faced with a police interrogation upon landing?  Were the other passengers calmed down knowing that the family was going to be interrogated?  What - and who - was exactly calmed by this whole exchange?  If it was so calming, why are there news reports on it?  I'm pretty darn sure that somebody is not feeling very calmed by all of this.  

I've flown on airplanes with small children, whether my own or in proximity to another passenger's young child.  For any parent worth their salt, this is a stressful situation.  We understand that crying and screaming children are unpleasant for other passengers (and us) to listen to.  We also understand that when a child decides to scream or cry, there are only a limited number of options likely to calm the child down quickly & effectively.  Those methods will vary from child to child, and may very well not be the options that another parent would choose, or would find effective for their own child.  

Our culture is moving towards an attitude that any sort of physical intervention with a child (slapping or spanking) is just as inappropriate as beating and abusing a child (which is never appropriate!).  Any form of physical disciplining is tantamount to child abuse.  States are considering bans on spanking.  Researchers have mixed opinions on the effectiveness of spanking, often those opinions seem to drive the nature (and results) of their research.  

This article clearly leaves the impression (cemented by the final quote) that the mother was acting inappropriately with her child.  Judgement has been passed in this report, and the flight attendant is the hero.  I'd be interesting in seeing fuller accounts of this incident.  I'm never in favor of child abuse of any kind, but I do not equate corporal punishment with child abuse.  Abuse is simply that - an inappropriate use of an otherwise appropriate thing.  

An equally important issue is what the appropriate role of bystanders (or bysitters, in this case) is.  What if the mother wasn't abusing  her child, yet the flight attendant had to deal with complaints by passengers who happened to have a very anti-spanking attitude?  What if the flight attendant held similar views that would arbitrarily designate any form of physical intervention with a child as inappropriate?  How are flight attendants trained to deal with situations like this?  What is the official policy, or should there be one?

Lots of questions from a teeny-tiny report.  Thoughts?