Recently as we were walking in the local Mall. I noticed this lady tugging at her two children. They were little tykes just about 3 or 4. She was hurting along and trying to keep the kids on pace.

I remembered those days when I had five or six kids of all ages scattered all around me and my daughter Angela in a stroller too. To say the least it is not fun.

We were relaxing and kicking back allowing our daughter and her friend to pick out a few things at the mall. This lady really caught my attention when she began pinching her daughter. I thought no way I just didn't see that woman pinch that little girl. But as soon as I noticed it...she did it again.

I pointed it out to my husband and asked him to make sure that what I saw was actually her pinching that baby girl. A couple of seconds later my husband said "Yes honey...she is pinching her daughter."

Well as many of you know Im 46 and my health isn't to good so I strolled over to where the two kids were standing and got a closer look for myself.
The kids were being told to "Not Cry." Well if someone pinched me as hard and as many times as she had pinched her kids in the five minutes we were watching. I'd be crying myself.

A moment later I looked over at the mom and said
"HI I bet you don't remember me do you?" The woman smiled at me and said no but you look so familiar.
I said "Oh that is ok I was not sure it was you either. How was your Thanksgiving?" We chatted for a while and I told her my daughter was shopping a little with her girl friend and that I had just wanted to say hello and ask how she was doing.

By this time the kids had stopped crying and mom had stopped pinching them. She confessed that she was there trying to make an appointment to have the kids pictures taken.

I assured her that with those smiling faces that they were wearing now. The pictures would turn out great. I chit chatted with the kids and said "I bet you can't wait to smile for your pictures and show off how pretty you both are today." Then I excused myself and walked back over to my husband.

He grinned at me as he had over heard my conversation. He knew I didn't know the woman at all and that just by intruding on the moment with a smile and a few friendly words. Both mom and the kids were in a much better mood and no more pinching was going on.

He asked me why I didn't just tell her to stop pinching her kids? I just smiled at him and said that sometimes a kind word can turn away anger.
But had she not have been kind enough to talk for a moment I would have informed a security guard of her behavior.

I do not think pinching is a good way of disciplining a child. Just like telling a child not to cry is sometimes just as ignorant. However parents do not have a hand book on how to raise children. Until someone tells them that their actions are wrong. They keep repeating them. I would bet she was pinched by her mother or father as a child. Someone had to have shown her that behavior.

Just as much as a warm smile and two minutes of nice words took the children's fear away and put a smile on their faces. It had turned away moms wrath also.

Sometimes wisdom goes along ways when dealing with issues like discipline.