There’s a quiver of desperation in her words.  “Fight his ass!”  A hint of pain punctuates her sentences as she demands her son to engage in what appears to be his first street fight.  The child is timid, reluctant to participate.  Instead of letting her son retreat from his fears, the matriarch positions herself close to the situation, encouraging the action.  Today, the child must face his fears head on.  “Don’t back down… Hit him!”

Some will claim child abuse – it’s not.  Some will call it bad parenting – I disagree.  It’s a distressed mother, desperately trying to teach her son a vital survival skill.  She’s supervising, staying close enough to protect both parties if need be.  This is bout is not about bravado or bullying, it’s about life.

Hesitantly, the child heeds his mother’s commands.  With eyes closed as tight as fists, the two children exchange punches.  The scuffle lands the two children in a dusty patch beside the road.  The matriarch’s son is on the bottom, taking the brunt of the punishment.  “Get up!”  She demands the boy fight his way out.  He’s being overwhelmed, wilting to the pressure in his first chaotic situation.  The matriarch abruptly separates the fighting boys before any unnecessary damage is done.

There are tears in the child’s eyes.  A frantic shrill on his voice.  He’s afraid.  His fear is normal.  Still, the mother encourages him to defend himself.  She’s not concerned with winning or losing.  Only that he doesn’t cower in the face of adversity.  He tries to back out, but his mother embraces him from behind.  Like a father teaching his son to swing a baseball bat, she stands behind him and adjusts his hands.  “Put your dukes up.”

It’s too much for the child.  He cries out, overcome with more emotion than physical pain.  A look of heartbreak sweeps across the mother’s face.  She’s been in her son’s shoes.  She knows he’s only a child, but understands the importance of self-defense.  Without it, her son is at a distinct disadvantage.

“DO NOT cry.... I swear to god, I’m right here, man…”  The matriarch makes one final plea to her son.   Her words are not issued with pride or arrogance.  She assures her son of her protective presence.  She will not allow either child to be badly injured.  Her son must fight.  He must learn this skill.

The video cuts off with a deep breath from the timid child.  With a promising bounce in his raised fists, the two children square off again.  The matriarch watches over.

The situation is not ideal.  A mother, forced to teach her son to stand up for himself.  Don’t confuse her intent.  The essence of the lesson does not lie in the fight itself.  Violence is not necessary, but it occurs – more frequently in some neighborhoods than you may imagine.  As the head of the household, a mother must sometimes push her kids toward their fears rather than allowing them to back away.

The video is short.  There’s no back story.  The viewer is left clueless about the family dynamic.  It’s not foolish to imagine that this kid may be lacking a father figure.  In which case, it’s necessary for the matriarch to lead the lessons of manhood.

A fist fight between two prepubescent boys isn’t obligator for a man’s development.  Yet most young men have experienced the situation.  Ideally, education in self-defense would come through martial arts, lessons in discipline, and playful sparring.  However, all situations are not ideal.

This seems to be a case here – an imperfect situation.  A desperate mother, doing the best she can with the resources and knowledge available.  It’s a heavy task for any woman attempting to raise a man – a task that often relies on a strong matriarch.  

Mother makes her son fight, video.