What would you do?

If they're actually abusing the child, then yes you should get involved. The child is unable to defend himself/herself. Taking a big stick and knocking the kid in the head damn near unconscious...yeah that's a horrible act that needs immediate action. Now I'm not directing this at anyone in this discussion directly (I'm just speaking in general)...but if you're one of these people who gets all bent out of shape and calls 9-1-1 just because a parent gave their defiant/mouthy/disrespectful child a quick swat on the butt, honestly YOU are the one who should be arrested for wasting the police's time with nonsense. Trying to have a child taken away from his/her parents all because of a quick swat on the butt...ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? A time-out may be fine for a child who told their parents a little white lie, but there are times when a quick swat on the bottom is appropriate, such as darting out into the street and nearly getting ran over by a car (after being taught by the parents not to do dangerous things like that). A swat on the butt is NOT child abuse. Just because you don't do things that way doesn't make it CHILD ABUSE. It seems like nowadays, a parent can't even give their child a dirty look anymore without somebody trying to call 9-1-1 or Child Protective Services with an exaggerated story. Child abuse is when these psychotic, so-called parents do things like use a hot iron to burn their children on the back, punch their children in the face, etc. These are the people who should just stop making babies and belong in jail. If you want to talk about messed-up parents, talk about the parents who use the "f" word around their children, constantly telling their children to "SHUT THE F**K UP," etc. And then the second their child repeats it, they're ready to smack them upside the head. Monkey-see, monkey-do. If I'm out somewhere with my 6-year old son and hear people using profanity, I kindly ask them to stop. Now if you're talking about an adult taking a big stick and knocking the crap out of a child, yes step in and do something! There are sick people out there murdering their babies just seconds after giving birth, dumping them in trash cans, etc., and people want to complain about parents smacking their kid on the butt? Give me a break.

I would definitely interfere. I would first get the woman off the child and then I would call the police and child protective services. I don't tolerate abuse.

If you have the time, take pictures. Then call the police or Children and Youth Services, the child needs to be away from that abuse and the mother needs to learn to not use her child as a whipping post.

I have been in this situation before. At first everyone turned their heads and tried to ignore it and stay out of it, but when the child started to say he would kill himself, everyone realized how bad it was. We called the cops multiple times that week, and finally, after calling the cops like 5 times in one day, THEY realized how bad it was and finally took the child and placed him in foster care.

Well I would try to go talk to the mother if I was ok with her. But even those kinds of things make the bad things get worse!!! It is hard to try to tell someone the right way to teach and punish their own children. No one takes criticism lightly!! If it was that bad which even just one hit is enough I would call CPS (CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES). They could atleast investigate what is really going on and if the abuse is that bad to where they need to relocate the child in an adoptive home. You have to ask yourself are you willing to live with the guilty feeling inside that you will have for taking the child away from his parents? Do you think you are doing a good job by telling someone of authority? Do you think the parents will change or get worse. maybe they will move away and keep doing the same but just inside the house? There are alot of things you have to take in mind. I would call CPS if it was really bad beating. If it was one time and the child seems like he is ok then i would wait. Talking to the parent might be a bad idea because they might get mad at you. It is a very hard decision. Take your time to think about it. GOOD LUCK!!! maria s.

If I witnessed an act like that on a child, I would phone social services straight away. That is what they are there for, they would then go around to the house and report everything on file. If they felt the child was in danger they would then monitor the family very closely. I would hope this would be enough of a shock to deter the mother from doing this again to her son. I would feel uncomfortable getting personally involved as people are very defensive over the way they bring up there children. The mother would most likely think I should mind my own business and carry on. But Social services are trained to deal with this sort of thing and also have the power to remove the child from the mothers home, if it was that bad. I don't think the police will do much other than call social services. But that is in my country. In other countries the protocol may be different

Take the stick from the mother and beat her! No I would call the police on the mother and let them handle it. I would supervise the situation but wouldn't get involved either. Though if it were to be our neighbors they would have to be walking past our house, and they speak spanish, a language I am not the best at, so while I may mean "stop or I call the police" I may say "Stop you have poles" or something like that instead!

I would probally ask her to stop and I would call police. No child exspecially toddler age deserves to be hit with a stick. I have 2 children and I can not even imagine doing that to one of my kids