Good news! Well, good news if you’re playing Kate Gosselin Child Mistreatment Bingo. You can go ahead and tick off ‘physical assault’.
A magazine has printed pictures of Kate Gosselin spanking one of her children, and Kate’s released a defiant statement admitting it. Which, really, is excellent news – Kate Gosselin’s already potentially violated labour laws with her kids, plus they’re all going to grow up to be emotionally mangled, and now there’s physical violence too.
We’re just one bingo box away from winning. Come on Kate Gosselin, now make them all eat piles of dogmuck! Luck be a lady tonight!
Before we start, we should probably point out that our parents spanked us as kids, and it never did us any harm. True, we’ve ended up dedicating our entire lives to building a website that does little more than bitterly trash people who we assume are happier than us – plus we’re pathologically unable to form meaningful relationships with other human beings – but apart from that it never did us any harm. Oh, and we still have to sleep with the light on. And we still wet the bed. But, you know, other than that…
So we’re sure that Kate Gosselin’s kids, the pint-sized stars of Jon & Kate Plus 8, are going to grow up to be just fine, even though In Touch magazine has just published photos of Kate spanking her daughter Lea. Kate Gosselin thinks they’ll be alright, at least. MSNBC reports:
?I love my children and when they misbehave, I discipline them as I deem appropriate for the situation,? Gosselin said. According to In Touch, the situation came about after Gosselin asked the 5-year-old to stop blowing a whistle while she was on the phone. ?(Kate) seemed to lose her temper,? a witness told the magazine. After the spanking, ?(Leah) was screaming and crying. Kate just pushed her away and walked off with her coffee.?
Now, this might be an unpopular thing to say here, but we actually feel for Kate Gosselin a little bit. Of course she lost her temper with her kids – have you ever met a child? Awful little things, they are. All noise and dirt and poo. Worse still, these kids are on television every week, so they’re probably even less tolerable than normal children. And it’s not as if Kate Gosselin had any say in the decision to put them on television, or made her fortune from writing a series of parenting books, is it? Oh, it is? Whoops, OK. Sorry.
And all the media attention doesn’t help matters, either. In recent weeks, Jon and Kate Gosselin have suffered speculation about the status of their collapsing marriage, been accused of violating child labour laws and were the focus of an investigation into animal cruelty, and that’s bound to make them a little bit cranky – it’s not like they asked for their privacy to be invaded by, say, welcoming cameras into their home for a 40-episode run of their hit reality TV show, is it? Really? They did that too? OK, sorry again.
Still, whatever the outcome of this, we’re sure that deep down Kate Gosselin has her children’s best interests at heart. After all, none of them will ever want for money when they’re older. Not with all those A Child Named It-style My Mom’s A Monster bestsellers they’re bound to publish, anyway.
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NRA says
STUART,
YOU ARE QUITE THE D***. DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN? WE LOST CONTROL OF OUR SOCIETY WHEN WE SPARED THE ROD AND TOOK DISIPLINE OUT OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS HANDS. NOW IT IS LEFT TO THE POLICE AND THE GOVERNMENT.
PERHAPS YOU WOULD HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THINGS IF YOUR PARENTS SMACKED YOU AROUND INSTEAD OF SPOILING YOU. YOUR SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT IS PERVASIVE AND IT STINKS!!
patrick says
Who wrote this? Stuart, what an awful person. You sound happy at their misfortune. Good for you, you have an article now. Glad their hard times could help you meet your deadline. “we
dbData says
I don’t see how Kate’s actions qualifies as abuse or news-worthy. Sometimes a spanking gets the point across. We don’t correct children then turn-around and coddle or apologize. The point of the corrective action would be lost. I suspect “Kate just pushed her away and walked off with her coffee”, was her way of defusing the situation or accentuating her point. Perhaps Lea will stop next-time she told to, rather than face her mother’s wrath.
This topic is getting old! Good job Kate!!
KATE says
GIVE ME A BREAK, A POP ON THE BOTTOM DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ASSAULT. YOU GUYS ARE WAY TOO DRAMATIC
richard says
haha, i love it when an article is able to trash the subject (because they deserve it) while at the same time incensing all those readers’ sensibilities… a home run!
well done, i think i’ll be back to read more, you’re funny.
Mary says
Het, You stupid d*ck! Take control of your emotions. No one told you to have kids and be terrible parent you!!! – I should have waited to you grew up first!!
Josh says
OMG so dramatic. I dare someone to tell me when and where I can discipline my kids. There is a common sense difference between abuse and discipline and this was obviously the latter. This part of what’s wrong with the world today.
Lee says
You wet the bed at night?
You gotta have a light on when sleeping?
Because you got spanked?
And you still chose to procreate?
Hope it was after many years of therapy.
You frighten me.
Bee says
The people who would stop you would be your local governmental child advocate organization, for us it’s CPS. I’m not saying I agree with either side of the issue, I’m saying if you are seen spanking kids and are reported, you have a high likelihood of getting state follow up depending on where you live. In TX that likelihood is 100%, other places less. could be a knock visit to your door. from the first follow up you must pass the assessment to the point they feel your actions are normal and under control, as bland and general as it may be, but the point is you WILL talk to them so that is where your “right to spank” starts to dissolve. try acting like a 1960’s parental seperatist to Texas CPS at your door and see what happens!
I have specifically seen a knock and talk turn really sour for a person I was dating who’s ex called on her unjustified. She played that attitude and it cost her about 6 months in tears and investigated allegations that never turned out, all because she did not play the personality game during the first meeting where the investigating officer felt offended. The government will regulate your child discipline now, if you think otherwise you don’t know crap, test them and see. I suggest you keep in touch with the latest parenting fads and be able to recite them upon demand.
Gail says
Let’s take a breath. Kate struck her child when she was angry and frustrated. That’s not discipline. What did the child learn? That if you can give pain to something more vulnerable than you–you have power. If Kate had struck her child in frustration then stopped, gathered herself and explained that she lost her temper, that sometimes people do that when pushed, and the consequences are not good. That she did not want to cause pain to her child, that it upset her. I might feel better. Kate should have hung up the phone, taken away the whistle and dealt with the child. I know she has eight children, many troubles and is probably on edge. I can understand why she struck her child in frustration, but it’s the defending it that bothers me. Showing a child that depends on you for love that “I can hurt you any time I like” is not a form a discipline–it is control by fear. That’s the first step to teaching your child not to trust you.
Vanessa says
BOOOOOOO!!!!! I HOPE YOU LOSE VIEWERS! IF YOU WOULD GROW UP AND FIND A HOBBY INSTEAD OF PLAYING KATE GOSSELIN BINGO YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY FIND I LIFE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BIASED, RUDE, UN NECESSARY ARTICLES I HAVE EVER READ. FYI IF YOU EVER STOPPED WATCHING YOUR PINK LITTLE COMPUTER AND YOUR PRINCESS KEYBOARD AND ACTUALLY STOPPED MAKING UP STUFF ABOUT POOR CELEBRITIES THAT HAVE ACTUAL LIVES UNLIKE YOU THEN I THINK YOU WOULD ACTUALLY FIND SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MEANS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT! I THINK BASED ON THIS BULLETIN MOST PEOPLE AGREE WITH ME. EVEN IF THIS WAS TRUE, SHE IS A NORMAL PARENT AND IF YOU EVER PAID ATTENTION TO LIFE (SOMETHING YOU DON’T HAVE)YOU WOULD AGREE! BTW I HAVE SEEN SO MANY PARENTS HIT CHILDREN AND DO I SEE THEM IN TABLOIDS? DO OTHER PARENTS GOSSIP ABOUT THEM? NO!!!!!! SO FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO LIKE FISHING. (UNLESS THAT WILL CHIP YOUR MANICURE)
PaganMama says
Gail,
I respectfully disagree. . .First off, we don’t know what rules Kate has set for the children in regards to how they are to behave when she’s on the phone (i.e., Making loud noise or talking to me when I’m on the phone is rude etc).
Second. .Sometimes there are situation that may occur when, for their own safety, a child needs to do what you say when you say it without you giving an explanation.
Third: I truly do not believe that a smack on the butt conveys the message of “I can hurt you anytime I like”. More like: You broke the rules and this is the consequence.
And lastly, parental control using a little bit of fear isn’t necessary a bad thing. My mom set the rules early on and instilled the fear of breaking those rules in my sister and I from an early on. When she said “I brought you in the world and I’ll take you out.” We truly believed her. But we also trusted her completely. We knew without a doubt that she would lay down her life for us. And let’s face it. . .Most of the time when I got a spanking I knew I deserved it.
Bee says
being able to discern sarcasm, jest and spry while being shown one’s self in the media-whore mirror is required for full participation fyi. I was laughing at the writeup its funny but it sure is a sore subject!
Dee says
Kate — It’s really a shame that it has come to this. I believe the money and fame has really gone to your head. I can’t beieve you talk like this. I would never have thought you would be so full of yourself. There’s an old saying “that’s what money does to people”. I would go back to just raising your wonderful children.
Rae says
The trend in the United States for the past two decades has been to abandon corporal punishment (spanking) in favor of increased use of alternate discipline methods — e.g. logical consequences, natural consequences, time outs or withdraw of privileges
Bet Leah is wishing for the cushy timeout rug! FOR REAL
(but that was when the cameras were on) of course. True colors Kate. Shame on you! No time outs anymore just slap um?
Can you say DYFS. You hit someone it is ABUSE!
The girl is in tear that wasn’t one of her love taps she gives Jon so often.
The lady is slap happy!
I was never spanked and I don’t spank my kids and will teach them the same, hitting for any reason is never ok! Count to 10 and regroup Kate
Tiffany says
I think people need 2 stop bashing Jon n Kate. We need 2 clean our own sides of the road. I am a mother of 4, ages 2,3, 4, and 5. I know the difficulties this brings n I must say I could not do as well as Jon n Kate with 6 children living n my butt crack. We r all human n make mistakes. Even I have denied water 2 my children n also spanked my children. I do not jump their every want n guess what… My children r great. Let us without sin cast the 1st stone. Lets clean up our own side of the street.
Tiffany says
BEE, finally some knows how CPS is. I would love 2 be friends with u 4 I 2 have been involved with CPS n thanks 2 u I now know I am not the only 1 who sees them like they truly r.
dead yeti says
I’m off to buy myself a whistle because god knows I need a good spanking from kate.
Oh and tiffany its a vagina not a clown car put a cork in it
terri says
I have to agree with those of you saying that an occasional open handed spank on the bottom is abuse.It is not ever as bad as the kid makes it seem.I have a 4 year old daughter and she scream and cry if you tell that she can’t have a toy each and every time we go to the store!So see kids will cry at any moment at anything if they feel that they will get so form of Coddling!!There is nothing wrong with what she did,because the government has stepped in and made us think this way has noone seen the uprise in the number of school shootings or kids beating each other up and posting them online?This is what happens when we can’t even parent our own children!Just the other day in our papers they released a story that proved that parents need to step up again—they found 8 year olds making out on the school bus.
Considering the actions that these kids have done recently on their show I would spank them to,because they seem to think that they run the house,especially the twins!My daughter isn’t allowed to act like that without being discipline coming and since she is older now that doesn’t always mean spanking but taking toys and special trips away,but still sometimes kids DO NEED A LITTLE SPANK!!SHE IS NOT ABUSING HER KIDS–GET A LIFE AND MOVE ON!!
Rick Garner says
While Jon & Kate are making some “life changing decisions,” are you helping or hurting them and their children? Better yet, what are you doing for your own marriage? Refocus the chatter to praying for this family, their healing, and find resources and tools to help strengthen your marriage.
JonandKatePrayers.com
Jojo says
KATE!!! I love your show and I don’t think it’s ok that you hit your child. I hope you learned from it and so did Leah. By the way I am a huge fan and I really, really love your show. Tell the kids I said Hi! I didn’t know you talk like that, I thought you were a goody 2 shoes. See ya!
Tiffany says
Dead yeti: u made no sense on saying its a vagina. Maybe u need 2 reread what was written. Rick Garner: I love what u said. God is great n with God all things r possible. Bless u! And I shall them n my prayers n all those with negative responses also.
AJ Simkatu says
They are both terrible parents. They both abuse their children every day they allow their lives to be filmed and put on display for the entire world to see. Kate is worried about the dysfunction caused by her pending divorce? Please! Both parents are abusive and greedy. I’m not talking about her smacking her kids bottom. I’m talking about the repeated abuse of five years of putting every moment of their lives on public display. No child should be subject to that.
I used to empathize with Jon, even though he acts like wuss, because he is living with a dominating witch. After I heard him complain about paparazzi, it made me sick. YOU WILLINGLY HAVE A CREW OF PEOPLE AT YOUR HOUSE PUTTING YOU LIVES ON PUBLIC DISPLAY! If you don’t like being a public figure that warrants public attention, then tell the cameras to leave and become private citizens. Believe me, it won’t take America long to forget you.
Dee says
This is so stupid. A lot of parents spank their kids when they did something wrong. Thats how you learn. “Groundings” are stupid and my parents never did that to me. Haha I was spanked when I was younger and did dumb stuff my parents told me not to do. Its ridiculous. I dont think she should get in trouble for it. Its only a problem when there are bruises and they go insane and everything. But like spank or two on the bottom doesnt do anything. This so called “scandal” is ridiculous
Ashley says
He only did the show cuz Kate wanted to, he loved her so he did it for her, now the marrige is ending and he has no more reason too put up with it, but now he can’t get away from it.Though they shouldn’t have EVER done the show or the books. The kids are lovely and Kate is a pretty good mom. Spanking isn’t something that I think is a big deal as long as its not too often and you make sure later on that the child knows what they did wrong and that you still love them .
Aura says
I should have waited you grew up first?
Yeah. :/
Plus, you’re assuming that he/she is a terrible parent. Maybe YOU should be the one to grow up, hm? Instead of assuming and calling people d*cks for it?
mary says
I couldn’t agree more. This was only an issue becaus of who it involved. I, like most people who grew up in the 70’s was spanked. My dad never hesitated to spank me, and I am a better person for it. My husband and I spank our children, and could care less what anybody, including cps, has to say. It was when parents stopped spanking their children that society became out of control. At some point, all children need to be reminded of who is in charge, and a wooden spoon across their bare butt can do wonders.
Asrai says
there is nothing wrong with a spank or smack in response to a stubborn child’s refusal to obey.
it has always struck me as unnatural, creepy and coldhearted to deliberately wait until you’re not angry and then go physically punish the child. THAT sounds like sick child abuse to me. of course you whack the kid when you’re angry. that’s normal and natural and then the moment’s over. how much more awful to wait in dread for your parent’s footsteps coming down the hall? ugh.
parents have to be trusted not to beat the kid half to death, and spanking laws and rants have not changed that.
Amanda-Beth says
I saw that episode and she did not spank leah she did far worse and punched her. If Kate needed quite for that phone call she should have gone inside. Outside is when kids should be allowed to be loud leah was several feet from kate and not blowing it anyone’s ear that was an exterme punshiment for getting on her mother’s nerves. Even if this isn’t abuse shakey a child is and she has taken both Mady and Alexis shoulders and shook them hard.