| Most of us are familiar with using hot sauce to spice | | | | A day care center in Michigan was issued a warning |
| up food. Just a few drops certainly gives a jolt of | | | | because it was discovered that workers there had |
| flavor to many popular items. Hot sauce has also | | | | used hot sauce as a punishment for biting. The twist to |
| come to the forefront recently as a method for | | | | the story is that the mother of the child in question in |
| disciplining children. This practice is referred to as "hot | | | | the 2002 incident had given the center's employees |
| saucing" or "hot tongue" and refers to a parent | | | | permission to deal with the child in this fashion. |
| punishing a child for bad behavior by putting a drop of | | | | The state of Virginia has added hot tonguing to its list |
| the highly seasoned substance on the tip of their child's | | | | of unacceptable disciplinary practises, so called "bizarre |
| tongue. | | | | behaviors". Other disciplinary options so described |
| This may be some parents' way of trying to make | | | | include confining youngsters in closets and making little |
| sure that the punishment fits the crime in situations | | | | ones get on their knees on a hard gravel surface. |
| where the youngster has been caught lying, biting, or | | | | Not surprisingly, this issue has caused heated debate |
| using inappropriate language. Some other parents | | | | between those who advocate using hot sauce and |
| choose to use this method of discipline for other types | | | | those who would not recommend it. Those individuals |
| of unacceptable behavior, like hitting. | | | | who have posted message on online discussion bulletin |
| While this way of dealing with children originated in the | | | | boards have received several responses with other |
| traditions of the South, news of it has gone nationwide. | | | | parents enquiring how they can justify using this |
| No statistics are available with respect to how many | | | | method for trying to stamp out bad behavior. Those |
| parents have tried it, but many experts who deal with | | | | who do try it are quick to point out that they save hot |
| children's health issues on a professional basis are | | | | saucing as a last resort, to be used only when other |
| certainly aware that parents do resort to the hot | | | | methods of discipline have failed. The other methods |
| saucing. | | | | tried, without success, are cited as being such |
| The word about hot saucing has been referred to in a | | | | methods as time out, negotiation, withdrawing privileges, |
| parenting guide, a written publication aimed at women | | | | etc. |
| of the Christian faith, and on various Web sites. It has | | | | It should be noted that child rearing experts do not |
| been the subject of several heated discussions on | | | | recommend that parents try hot saucing as a form of |
| Internet message boards. | | | | discipline. Perhaps we should just keep the hot sauce |
| The controversy hasn't been confined only to parents. | | | | for our food? |
| In some states, legislators have waded into the debate. | | | | |