I saw this episode of Dr.Phil. I did see a mother claiming to be there wanting help and asking what to do. I also so a lack of affect of emotion regarding the boy, nothing about her seemed bonded to him and when disciplining a difficult child, when angry, and when also very unattached to the child, well it almost seems obvious it would be OTT discipline.
The hot sauce was not only poured in his mouth, he was not allowed to spit it out, nor was he allowed to swallow it. He had to sit with it BURNING his mouth and tongue and throat while he listened to her lecture. When he finally was allowed to spit it out he was then lectured more about lying and put into the cold shower for "more' discipline.
I get the whole concept of being at wits end. I get even the idea that it might be hard to bond to a adopted child who comes to you older, with serious issues in their past (this boys history is tragic). Her husband is a police officer. These people went far and wide to adopt. They had obvious financial resources and weren't uneducated people. At some stage, BEFORE this stage, this boy needed intervention. Period. The husband KNEW what was going on. Lets face it, if any of US did this, we'd have been in court and all of our children removed from our care right quick. I can't help but think maybe the fact this boy was a high risk placement adoptee from a foreign country might account for the "help" she is getting. But if you haven't bonded with the boy and he is now FURTHER traumatized, can this family truly expect to be able to bond at this stage? Highly unlikely.
I am glad she was charged. I am glad the family is said to be getting help. I don't want to hate this woman although its tough. I mostly feel for this poor kid because he had it rough BEFORE his adoption and now this has been his "real family" experience. What emotional suffering he is in and I'm much more concerned about HIM getting help and being able to lead a healthy adult life than I am about what happens to the mother, sorry if that sounds harsh.