Thursday, March 29, 2007

Swim Coach Dad Pushes Daughter

Have you ever had to "discipline" your child in public? How we discipline them, correct them, and even confront them about their misbehavior is scrutinized, criticized, and categorized. This father is under fire for the way he handled a personal matter with his daughter - on camera and at a public sporting event in which she was competing.

According to the AP,(March 28) - Ukrainian swim coach Mikhaylo Zubkov was reunited with his swimmer daughter Kateryna after an Australian court declined to extend an intervention order against him Thursday.



Now we all have something to say about it. We all feel the need to stand up for this girl against her father. Whether he was right or wrong; whether we should or shouldn't; I caution you about stepping into that ring. Take some time first to decide whether or not you belong there.

Does this mean that we turn a "blind eye" to injustice against children around us? No, it doesn't. But we need to ask ourselves if we're in it for the long haul or just the moment. Children need long term advocates, not just adults to get involved when it suits them.

And it is a matter of "casting the first stone" as well.

After watching this, you probably have a good size stone in your hand. Are you really ready to let it fly?

1 comment:

Rachelle said...

Well, it's so easy to "armchair quarterback" isn't it? I will stay out of the fray. But I must admit I have thought quite a bit about how I handle discipline issues in public. I learned a lot from watching my sister-in-law with her kids. She always says to a wayward child, "May I speak with you a moment?" and she takes them aside where nobody else can hear their conversation. I found it to be classy and effective. I try to handle it that way as much as possible.

I feel sorry for that father and daughter. I can imagine that if some of my worst moments had been caught on video, the world would be reviling me, too.