...was heading towards her with that iron. I've heard of child abuse, but damn. I wonder have parents ever did something as sadistic as to burn their child with a hot iron. Nevertheless, when I first watched it, I turned my head.

And whatever we think of the Penny character, she gets an A+ for those episodes. The way she pleaded with her mother not to do it and "promising not to be a bad girl anymore" was a unforgettable scene. It was like we felt it along with her. We've all touched the bottom of an iron at some point (to see whether or not it's hot) and we know how that little bit feels. That's what was going thru my mind.

...was heading towards her with that iron. I've heard of child abuse, but damn. I wonder have parents ever did something as sadistic as to burn their child with a hot iron. Nevertheless, when I first watched it, I turned my head.

And whatever we think of the Penny character, she gets an A+ for those episodes. The way she pleaded with her mother not to do it and "promising not to be a bad girl anymore" was a unforgettable scene. It was like we felt it along with her. We've all touched the bottom of an iron at some point (to see whether or not it's hot) and we know how that little bit feels. That's what was going thru my mind.

Oh yeah! The first time I saw this episode, I had no clue as to what child abuse was, but I couldn't believe that anyone would do that to their child.

I also agree that Penny (Janet) did an excellent job in that scene of being scared. I always thought years later she must have had flash backs from Joe's abuse.

Oh yeah! The first time I saw this episode, I had no clue as to what child abuse was, but I couldn't believe that anyone would do that to their child.

I also agree that Penny (Janet) did an excellent job in that scene of being scared. I always thought years later she must have had flash backs from Joe's abuse.



I want to know has there ever been a story like that with a child being burnt by an iron. The whole iron thing was too over the top. can;t see any parents doing that

Yeah, the first time I saw this episode, as a child, I was on the edge of my seat and concerned for Penny. I agree Janet did a good job of conveying fear in that scene.

What a horrible scene that was. The episode definitely ranks up there as one of my favorites.

Well I can say this much.

I was a bit fearful of the James character and can relate to fear of the belt.

My father was a regular user of the strap on my ass when I was out of line.

I don't remember if I felt it was abuse but as I am now in my late 30's I feel it was completely uncalled for.

But when the Iron issue came up now that completely freaked me out.

Well I can say this much.

I was a bit fearful of the James character and can relate to fear of the belt.

My father was a regular user of the strap on my ass when I was out of line.

I don't remember if I felt it was abuse but as I am now in my late 30's I feel it was completely uncalled for.

But when the Iron issue came up now that completely freaked me out.


But the James character only used the belt on a bully from Michael's school

But the James character only used the belt on a bully from Michael's school


It was implied that he used it regularly. In fact. He went for the belt a bunch of times to keep JJ and Michael in line. One episode unbuckling himself in front of Michael who got back in line.

He always threatened a whoopin. One can only imagine how the "Big Mac"must have felt like!!

It was implied that he used it regularly. In fact. He went for the belt a bunch of times to keep JJ and Michael in line. One episode unbuckling himself in front of Michael who got back in line.

He always threatened a whoopin. One can only imagine how the "Big Mac"must have felt like!!


It was also implied that he only used the belt when the kids did something wrong-lol

so it is ok to belt your kids ass if they do something wrong? that is at least debatable.

I smell a new topic.

I have heard cases of some parents burning their children, with irons, on the stove even with boiling water. So it definately has happened before.

I want to know has there ever been a story like that with a child being burnt by an iron. The whole iron thing was too over the top. can;t see any parents doing that

Yes parent have burnt their children before. There have been people who have burnt their kids with cigarettes, by putting their hands over a flame on by the stove. There are a lot of crazy people out there. Just turn on the news.

I want to know has there ever been a story like that with a child being burnt by an iron. The whole iron thing was too over the top. can;t see any parents doing that
Real loving parents don't do that. Horrific, sadistic people do that to their kids. As a matter of fact, we had a case here in our county abt three years ago abt a father who punished his 2 year old son for soiling his diaper by putting him in HOT WATER ONLY in a tub. The father held his son down in that water. He suffered third degree burns. the parents are in jail now for 15 years and the child was removed from them and any family and has been adopted. He will require many surgeries to graft skin. poor child.
Retro, I am really surprised you even asked that question. Surely you have heard of cases like this.

I thought Chip Fields did an AMAZING job as Penny's abusive mother. The 4 part The Evans Get Involved are by far the best episodes from the 5th season...

so it is ok to belt your kids ass if they do something wrong? that is at least debatable.

I smell a new topic.
Make a thread abt this George!!!!

I want to know has there ever been a story like that with a child being burnt by an iron. The whole iron thing was too over the top. can;t see any parents doing that

Irene I worked for the Dept. of Children's Service for L.A. County for several years and unfortunately these things do happen. And remember the little boy who was set on fire by his father in a hotel room near Disneyland. There was also an incident where a child was given to her mother's family while she was in jail, and the aunt murdered her and buried her in the desert and said that the child had been kidnapped from the mall, until the police questioned her and told her that there were surveilence cameras that did not show the child had ever been in the mall. The aunt confessed. So these thing do happen to defenseless children.

Irene I worked for the Dept. of Children's Service for L.A. County for several years and unfortunately these things do happen. And remember the little boy who was set on fire by his father in a hotel room near Disneyland. There was also an incident where a child was given to her mother's family while she was in jail, and the aunt murdered her and buried her in the desert and said that the child had been kidnapped from the mall, until the police questioned her and told her that there were surveilence cameras that did not show the child had ever been in the mall. The aunt confessed. So these thing do happen to defenseless children.
I'm confused. I know that things do happen to kids, horrible things. Retro was the one who didn't think that such things happened. I am fully aware of the horrors that children have been exposed to.

I'm confused. I know that things do happen to kids, horrible things. Retro was the one who didn't think that such things happened. I am fully aware of the horrors that children have been exposed to.

Sorry, I miss read the post, realized that after the post sorry again.

No harm I hope. :wave: :)

Sorry, I miss read the post, realized that after the post sorry again.

No harm I hope. :wave: :)
no of course not, i figured that's what happened. i am just so confused that anyone would not know abt child abuse and the extent to which it can go. I am sure with what you saw, it really puts a mark in your heart. I know it would to me. Being a paralegal, I heard too many parents make accusations abt the other parent and the poor kids were being used as pawns. It hurt so bad. Working in the dept you did, it must be awful going home knowing what you had to deal with. :(

no of course not, i figured that's what happened. i am just so confused that anyone would not know abt child abuse and the extent to which it can go. I am sure with what you saw, it really puts a mark in your heart. I know it would to me. Being a paralegal, I heard too many parents make accusations abt the other parent and the poor kids were being used as pawns. It hurt so bad. Working in the dept you did, it must be awful going home knowing what you had to deal with. :(

It was really hard to work there. I realized how sheltered I was. I had to process the kids into the facilities, so I would read the information. At the time I had no idea about babies being sexually abused, and it still haunts me because I have two nieces and a nephew and I just cannot imagine anyone hurting babies, the way I know some children and babies are abused.

And the really sad part, is that some of the kids love these parents even after they have abused them. When the parents would pick them up, they would be so excited, I just didn't get it, and someone reminded me, its their parents and they love them. Remember in the episode where Penny's mother comes back Penny is confused, because on one hand she loves and missed her mother, and on the other hand Willona has been more of a caring loving mother to her than her biological mother ever was.

so it is ok to belt your kids ass if they do something wrong? that is at least debatable.

I smell a new topic.


In the past, a topic like this was started on the Good Times message board, but one of the moderators did not allow it to proceed.

One of the biggest difficulties in confronting physical child abuse is that we live in such a schizophrenic society when it comes to hitting children. It's legal in every state to spank your children with your hand or objects. Some agree or disagree with the concept of corporal punishment, but just about everyone agrees that there is a line that can be crossed. However, no one is ever able to give a clear definition of what that line is and it varies from state to state and county to county. In some southern states, educators can get away with paddling students and leaving severe marks that would be illegal for parents to do. Even a show like Good Times that took such a strong stand against child abuse, also did episodes where beatings with a belt were glamorized and treated as humor. Unlike spousal abuse, in which everyone agrees that no violence is acceptable, the issue of physical child abuse still seems to be unresolved.

Well there is a line. and it might be easy for me to say because I am not a parent. Spanking to me doesn't even seem to be an option. How can somebody bring mental/physical pain to somebody they are supposed to love unconditionally??

Anyway in the issue of James and the belt. Regardless of being for comedy. (And it actually was funny a couple of times) That character would not be on today's TV as a regular. Especially a comedy series.

Well there is a line. and it might be easy for me to say because I am not a parent. Spanking to me doesn't even seem to be an option. How can somebody bring mental/physical pain to somebody they are supposed to love unconditionally??

Anyway in the issue of James and the belt. Regardless of being for comedy. (And it actually was funny a couple of times) That character would not be on today's TV as a regular. Especially a comedy series.



LOL_LMAO-I will never forget when James asked Michael-"how would you like some strap with that oatmeal"-lol

Reminded me a little bit of a movie I saw one day on Lifetime, which I thought was really good called "A promise to Carolyn". in the movie, Delta Burka and Swoozie Kutrz played two sisters who are absolutely certain that their stepmother killed their baby sister when they were kids in 1955, a time where child abuse wasn't illegal and was considered a family matter then. Now that was an abusive mother. Mrs. Gordon wouldn't even hold a light to Jolene, the stepmother. Whereas Mrs. Gordon used irons, Jolene used orange slice with pills and soap hidden in them and smothering them. Check out this movie and you will see how horrible child abuse is!

Well there is a line. and it might be easy for me to say because I am not a parent. Spanking to me doesn't even seem to be an option. How can somebody bring mental/physical pain to somebody they are supposed to love unconditionally??



George, why do you have that username? You sound like such a nice guy...LOL

Seriously, despite our differences on other issues, I really respect what you just said.

George, why do you have that username? You sound like such a nice guy...LOL

Seriously, despite our differences on other issues, I really respect what you just said.


GeeBee I created a post for you about the belt-LOL

In the past, a topic like this was started on the Good Times message board, but one of the moderators did not allow it to proceed.

One of the biggest difficulties in confronting physical child abuse is that we live in such a schizophrenic society when it comes to hitting children. It's legal in every state to spank your children with your hand or objects. Some agree or disagree with the concept of corporal punishment, but just about everyone agrees that there is a line that can be crossed. However, no one is ever able to give a clear definition of what that line is and it varies from state to state and county to county. In some southern states, educators can get away with paddling students and leaving severe marks that would be illegal for parents to do. Even a show like Good Times that took such a strong stand against child abuse, also did episodes where beatings with a belt were glamorized and treated as humor. Unlike spousal abuse, in which everyone agrees that no violence is acceptable, the issue of physical child abuse still seems to be unresolved.


Hmmm, maybe I thought the topic was not neccessary at the time; but I do agree with you..in a way it was hypercritical of the Good Times to have episodes where it was considered "funny" for James to whip out of his belt and scare his children..then in later seasons portray any type of abuse like in the case of Penny's character to show the viewers that any type of child "Beatings" was unethical and cruel..but where is the line of discipling ?

Hmmm, maybe I thought the topic was not neccessary at the time; but I do agree with you..in a way it was hypercritical of the Good Times to have episodes where it was considered "funny" for James to whip out of his belt and scare his children..then in later seasons portray any type of abuse like in the case of Penny's character to show the viewers that any type of child "Beatings" was unethical and cruel..but where is the line of discipling ?
you are so right. how can we laugh at James using the belt (I will admit those were funny) and yet here is a female using her hands and objects to abuse her child? one can say that James was disciplining while Mrs. Gordan was an abuser, using physical harm. It's really hard to sit here and even try and analyze this. I know the few times my father took a belt to my older brother when he was a teen, but according to my brother, "Dad did what he had to do and it worked, I won't screw up again." Our parents never hit me or my older sister. Probably cuz me and my sister saw what happened to our brother and we decided OH HELL NO, WE WILL BEHAVE. LOL
it is so hard. how can we hit our kids for discipline reasons, and yet say it's bad to hit someone like your spouse or a neighbor with whom you may be arguing with?

George, why do you have that username? You sound like such a nice guy...LOL

Seriously, despite our differences on other issues, I really respect what you just said.


Well maybe don't be myopic. I am not. Don't be Preemptive LOL

There are Republicans. Which I make no mistake about being a staunch one.

There are Democrats. Some that want the good of their country to come first before any agenda.

Then you have radical liberals and Neo Cons Which are people I cant stand that devide the country. (RUSH LIMBAUGH INCLUDED). I completely believe in the Republican platform. Why would that make me a bad guy without compassion?

I ooze compassion. And am very sensitive to the plight of others. ANd if you want to believe it or not. So are most republicans.

It is like the spinoff thread.

You got people who say it is a spinoff.
You got people who say it isn't
Then you have the "I don't give a ****" majority.

And that is American Politics for you. Much the same as the spinoff debate on here.

Oh yes and this handle of mine you despise.

My little brother played pro baseball in the Texas Rangers organization when W was one of the partners of the team. I got to meet him twice and met Bobby Valentine and some of the players. I found him to be one of the nicest guys I ever met and his running in 2000 got me more intune politically because of it.

I have his and valentine's autograph on a baseball.

I also met former Governor of NJ Tom Kean at a Jets game..

What is puzzling to me is my brother didn't vote Bush either time. Said he liked him as a man. Not as a president. He is one of those Nader nitwits.

LOL_LMAO-I will never forget when James asked Michael-"how would you like some strap with that oatmeal"-lol


I have to admit I got a chuckle out of that.

Also when Michael refused to go to the bedroom and james simply just started unbuckling his belt which caused Michael to react be getting the hell out of there.