"daddy hit me"

[kidlove]

My liability is to report anything "suspicious" however....please keep in mind, kids "stories" can seem alarming sometimes, when in fact they are not. Maybe these parents "spank" and maybe he had been up many times through the night with verbal warnings going "un-aknowledged". In my area we are resposible to report abuse and neglect (not sure if this really is though) however, I also feel it is best to go to the parent first. Do you have any reason to feel this father could be abusive? or do you think he's just "old school", "hard,hard,hard" could just be because his Dad has never spanked him before and it seemed hard. either way, if their are no marks...I'd give some time and observation along with more convo's (loosely based) with this little boy. Don't forget, let him talk, don't talk for him. Never say things like "does Daddy Hit you" then you put the idea in his head, "oh , yes..daddy hits me" when he very well may not.
Some people do "spank" as punishment, and it's not considered abuse by some. By others it is.

[gcj]

I do not think that his father is abusive. I think he got a spanking. It was probably hard enough to hurt, but left no marks. I would not consider reporting this. I only question if I should bring it up with mom or let it go for this time.
I know some people spank. I just find it hard to teach a 2 year old that hitting is wrong...that's not how we solve problems when the people they look up to solve problems through hitting. But, for now he's a good little boy and I have to presume that this was an isolated incident. I just don't like it.