How would YOU react?

With all the media attention lately on the Mum (Mellissa Anderson) who was arrested after slapping her daughters bullies, I have been thinking about it a lot, and how I would react were it one of my children who were on the receiving end of first the bullying and then the slapping.

I am a very over-protective Mum, which in some circumstances can be a good thing, and other times not so good.  But the fierce protective nature overcomes me when it comes to things being unfairly done to my kids.  I can honestly say, were I in the same situation as Mellissa, I too would have had a fair whack at those bullies. 

Now I’ve mulled this whole topic over a fair bit with friends/family members, and of course there have been the (very few) who come out with the “well, we should be adult enough to work through the situation in an adult manner, and without resorting to violence”  Um. While that might be nice in theory, please show me some caring parent who would be able to sit on their hands after seeing their childs face bruised, bloodied and battered??!!  Seriously, I would LOVE to be able to say… “Oh yes, come on now..that was uncalled for”… but in actual fact, I KNOW my reaction would be to want to throttle the little beggas who laid their hands on my kids! All reason and niceties would go out the window!  Another friend said, “Oh I would understand it if a parent reacted to some REAL bullying, but not that”… Not that??? NOT THAT?  Please tell me what is REAL bullying?  This kids face was bruised, swollen, bleeding and violated! What part of that is not REAL bullying.  Since that comment, my “friend” has realized what she said was just ridiculous and has retracted it super fast.  (of course my reactional outburst at it probably gave her a push in that direction) haha.

So… that’s how I would react were it to happen to one of my kids.  What then, would I do, if it were one of my children who had beaten up another child, and in return their parent had had a crack at my kids?  To be very honest with you……. I would probably want to give them a good slapping myself! 

I certainly would make them accountable for their actions and make them face the repercussions of what they’d done.  I would do my best to make them see how awful it had been for that person they’d picked on, and how it has affected them…….hoping that that in itself would make them remorseful. 

Anyway it really annoyed me that this Mum had to be arrested.  The police were right there when she slapped the girl, she wasn’t in any danger with them right there.. but the mother just wanted to get her point across!  

So…I’m really interested now… how would YOU react?  I’m sure there are many of you out there who are way more “controlled” than I ever would be …. I’d love to hear it!!  J