People just need to back off and let parents be parents. I am 27 and if i had got lost in the mall that meant i didnt stay near my mother like she told me before we even left the house. It always went like this "when i move you move" so i had to watch her all the time. So if something would have happen to me like that i would have gotten that same spanking and cried and still had McDonlad's. My father always says if i cant raise my kids you take them and raise him and we still stayed at home and we got spanking with BELTS all the time

Corporal punishment is not necessary. In this case, the mother was clearly being abusive and should be brought before a judge for court-appointed counseling (not jail time).

THIS IS A VERY GREY AREA BUT I WOULD SAY NO THE MOTHER DID NOT GO TO FOR. THE CHILD HAD JEANS ON AND SHE HIT HIM ON HIS UPPER LEG AND REAR-END.

Although corporal punishment need not be used on every occassion, there are times (especially when dealing with younger children) where spankings are appropriate. This mother was no doubt relieved when her child was safely returned, but angry at what could have happened to him as a result of getting lost in the mall. She probably, as most parents do, instructed her child to stay with her and not wonder off; as we see on a daily basis, disobedience in this circumstance can lead to tragic and heartbreaking results. In this case, corporal punishment was employed to deter this type of situation in the future.

Children are out of control and parents have themselves to blame. The government doesn't help by trying to control everyones lives either. Children need discipline and rules and a firm guideline to follow. Talk, talk, talk is all they ever get and they tune it all out. Time out-grounded to their rooms? So what!! They have TVs,video games, computers and whatever to keep them occupied. Is that punishment? Children need to know to do as they are told when they are told or reap the consequences. This mother did NOT act hastily and it appeared the boy knew the rules. In this world the boy could easily have been kidnapped and something bad happened to him. A lot worse than a mother's belt whipping! More parents need to give tough love so we have less delinquents. Did it hurt you to get spanked?

This is one reason why we have so many kids out there running wild. Some parents are afraid that they will get thrown in jail if they do anything to their child. How can you judge by what you see but not hear? Did she give the kid 10 warnings before she spanked? Was the kid even crying, some kids actually laugh at you when you are spanking them. I do not think this is something that you should even be showing because it will wind up having the wrong affect. Maybe a kid is watching and tells the parent, if you hit me I will call KMOV. What kind of "fear" is that then putting into the parents that big brother is watching every move they make and they might lose their child just because the child needed a good old fashion spanking. Never hurt anyone from my generation. We knew how to obey our parents and respect others. Don't see that in today’s kids.

I bet the child remembers next time he is in a public place that he is to remain by his mother's side. I received a spanking with a belt from my father for almost the same thing. Guess what? I'm a healthy, sane, productive member of society, who is raising children that have good manners and good sense. This is not abuse, this is discipline, and that Mother should be aplauded for disciplining her child instead of letting him run rampant.

Maybe more children should be "spanked" today. Children grow up nowadays and have no respect for anyone or anything. When I was in school, we didn't talk back, bring guns, fight in the halls, let alone stab someone, because we didn't want to get "swats"--some people do carry it too far--and it seems that these people get to keep their kids anyway--but I always ruled my house with strict guidelines. My daughter is now a college graduate with a master's degree, working, and taking care of herself.

I would have done it exactly as she had done. "Spare the rod spoil the child". I guess it would have been a case of child endangerment if the child had not been found for hours. The little boy who so conviently walked out of his house.... What were his parents charged with? Could you please follow up on that?!

You people who are saying that it was okay for this mother to do this are clearly forgeting the fact that she also whipped him with the belt INSIDE of the mall. This child is only 4yrs. old. He went missing and was upset already just to be found and beaten not once, but TWICE! I am glad this woman was reported, if she is so quick to beat her child like that in a mall and the parking lot, who knows what goes on at home when no one is watching. The mall security guard who lost his job is a hero. What would have happened if this child would have ended up dead at the hands of his own mother, then what? Would we blame the security guard for not saying anything then? Some of you people need to get a grip and realize that this child didn't deserve to be punished with such force and ferocity.

Here is the thing,you are at a store and you"re child is acting out you have evryone around you saying,oh i would never let my kid act this why,that child needs to have there but spanked what a bad mom she is,well know look a mother does it and she is being told she is in the wrong.What happens the next time or any other child that has heard this store they are going to say well I"am going to call the cops on you if you touch me.As parnts we get pounshed as parnts for the kids missing school and all the other things they do.So please tell us when we do act why do we get this.This is not a gray area you can spank you"re child as long as you are in the right fram of mind and there is no markes that last more then five min.To this mom i say great job.

This mother was well within her right to disapline her child, there is a big differance between disapline and abuse. This is why we have kids carrying guns to school. Their is no parental/adult respect any more because you are not permitted to disapline children in school or at home.

The mall parking lot is a very dangerous place where accidents often happen. These events usually involve errant shoppers, wandering children and automobiles. Such was the case as captured by video. That video shows a caring and concerned mother who needed to discipline her child and protect him from the imminent danger surrounding him. She administered said discipline to the proper degree and opened the car door for the toddler who was promptly seated. I have no doubt that this mother had given verbal warnings for the child to stay close and even to hold her hand on the parking lot. The child did not heed the command, strayed on the lot, and needed to be disciplined. Too many parents, both white and black, fail to discipline their children. Perhaps this explains high dropout rates, crowded prisons, cyber-crime, substance abuse, meth labs, and even patricide or matricide. Hypocrites, how dare you criticize this mother for helping to keep her child safe and unharmed? Would you have preferred to see the lad’s broken and bloody body sprawled out over the parking lot while his grieving mother stood over him? Would you like to warn the three persons who recently drowned in the Meramec River about the dangers of river recreation? It’s too late for that warning now, isn’t it. Try interviewing the kid now. I’ll bet he won’t repeat this folly anytime soon. KUDOS MOTHER! Leave her alone.

I have been in Federal Law Enforcement for over 20 years. If more parents were to discipline their children, our prison system wouldn't have more young men than college graduates each year. Each culture has their own respective manner/form of discipline. I was spanked and so was my daughter. I applaud the Mom that cared enough to want to stop bad behavior before the prison system does it for her. Then what would
society say?

I think corporal punishment should be used depending on the child and the severity of what he/she has done. I have three children the youngest is 13 and I have only spanked them when they were small and set guidelines and only as a last resort. I think what really bugged me about the segment is who was interviewed and it was a one sided opinion. I think spanking is an ethnic issue somewhat, due to who was doing the spanking and who was doing the commenting. That child didn't appear to cry he just got in the car, he was fully clothed, no scars or bruises. I think St. Louis at large needs diversity training. We breathe, bleed, speak but that pretty well ends it. We are culterally different.

I believe that this mother was both relieved that her child was o.k, and visibly upset that he had wandered off. The child had no marks because he had on jeans and his mother appropriately spanked him on the rear . If more people would butt out of parents disciplining their children, and MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS, children would not be out of control today and blaming all of their downfalls on someone else. Children need to know that there are consequences to their actions, and while it is not necessary to spank for all disciplinary problems, as a last resort I believe it it absolutely appropriate.

Imagine if the mother was white would she have gotten the same attention as the blck mother? My son plays football. You've got dads out there rooting for their son. Some dads are a little more into the game than others. (We're talking little kids ages 5-10). Some dads scream at their son to break a leg or I'mma beat ur ---. Keep in mind these are white males but if a black male was to shout the same thing, the DCFS would be called and they would be looked at as a horrible person. Me, personally, I think that the dad was taking the game a little to seriously when the boys are suppossed to be having fun. They shouldn't be worried about winning at their age.
And yes, something tragic could happen like Mike Tyson's daughter getting killed by a cord on a treadmill. I cried when I read that. At a certain age kids will try you and it's up to us parents to let them know how serious the situation can get if he were to run off get kidnapped or killed. That would be tragic. A kid should get as many swats as their age. The swats when using a belt should only be used on the buttocks and the legs. No child should get hit on the back up to the head or the private area.

Unfortunately in this day and time there is a very fine line between punishment and abuse. I do not think this parent crossed this line into abuse. If by law she did then half the nuns at the Catholic grade school attended as a child and my parents all broke the law. Government is very quick to take the corporal punishment out of the hands of us as parents, children need this fear in them and I as a parent am instilling it! The threat of my children calling the police on me for receiving a spanking is a joke! I agree with the fact that if we had more parents standing up to thier children at an early age they would have less problems and more respect when they get older. I watch some of my friends do "time out" that is a joke and the kids even know it. I applaud this mother for taking her job as a parent seriously, I wish more would!