Mother's Hot Sauce Discipline Tactics Land Her in Hot Water

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110131...auce_discipline_tactics_land_her_in_hot_water

An Alaska mother who was featured on a "Dr. Phil" episode about "Mommy Confessions" last year has landed herself in some hot water. Last week, Jessica Beagley, who submitted home video footage to the show in an effort to get help in disciplining her child, pleaded not guilty to a child abuse charge after footage from the show showed her forcing her 7-year-old son to drink peppery hot sauce after he misbehaved. The Anchorage mom of six was also shown forcing her child to take a cold shower as a punishment. Beagley and her husband, a police officer, adopted the little boy shown in the video from Russia.

Dr. Phil McGraw , the host of the "Dr. Phil Show," did not agree with the hot sauce/cold shower tactics and since the episode aired last November, viewer complaints about Beagley's disciplinary methods have been rampant. And because this case involves a Russian adoption it could become even more complicated. Russian adoption authorities have been watching this case closely and if Beagley is found guilty, the young boy-and his twin brother, whom the Beagley's also adopted -- could be sent back to Russia.
But is "hot saucing" the modern day equivalent of washing a child's mouth out with soap?

Indeed, the controversial discipline method- which punishes the child with a momentary "burn" on the tongue -- is being increasingly used by some parents as a punishment for offenses such as lying or biting. Last year on the reality television show "Supernanny," Nanny Jo Frost introduced viewers to an overwhelmed couple that was using hot saucing methods on their young children. Frost ultimately showed the family the merits of time-outs over Tabasco.

But high profile advocates of the method include former "Facts of Life" star Lisa Whelchel, who wrote about it in her 2000 parenting book , Creative Correction: Extraordinary Ideas for Everyday Discipline. On a message on her website back in 2004, Whelchel wrote, "I don't think that I am being far-fetched to believe that if I can teach my child the gravity of lying with the sting of a drop of hot sauce then I could conceivably spare them the exponential pain of divorce, because in marriage trustworthiness is critical. "

But Whelchel also added, "I would rather cause my child a small amount of pain from my hand of love if it could spare them a much greater amount of pain later on in life.....On the other hand, I'm not saying that parents should use hot sauce. I give credit to any parent who feels like this is unacceptable. If they feel that way, then for goodness sakes -- don't do it."

As for Jessica Beagley, she is due back in court on March 21, where her fate -- and perhaps the fate of her twin boys -- will be decided.