I didn't read all of the replies, but I saw this clip at another site as well. Honestly, I blame the mother more than the child. The kid's a kid, he learned that behavior, point blank period. That's what parents get when they try to treat their kids like adults and "talk out" their issues. That kid is NOT an adult, and can not ration with the mother as an adult. If she felt the need to nudge him the stomach or side with her elbow, so be it. She does not need to explain herself to him or try to figure out how it made him "feel". I think parents trying to do that crap and feed their kids prosac is the most ridiculous form of parenting ever.

My mother is a 4'10 maybe 100-110 lb korean woman, but if I ever tried to intimidate her physically I guarantee you she would tear me apart. And I'm 5'8 170 lbs and a grown man. Granted, I would never in a million years do that, but I know she would. Korean mothers are fast with the corporal punishment.

as for the kids that threaten to have their parents arrested... if my kids ever did that to me, I'd pop em a good one and hand them the phone. I'd also let them know that I am their provider and if they really want to go that route go ahead. But when I'm done with the bs investigations and so on and so forth they can go ahead and see if they want to go out in the world without my help. If not, they better follow my rules in my home.