I promise you, it is *not* Dr. Phil's fault you got arrested

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock lately,  you have at some point heard about The Hot Sauce Mom.  You  know her, the one who put hot sauce on the tongue of her son, and then threw him in a cold shower.  She video taped all of it, and sent it to Dr. Phil in hopes of getting on his show.  If the picture at left  and the shit storm surrounding her is any indication….

Mission Accomplished.

Of course then she was investigated and charged with child abuse, and received 3 years probation, which, was suspended.   Basically, she got her 15 minutes of fame, and got away with it.  At the expense of her child.  Who, is adopted,  so she actually had to ASK for this child, APPLY for this child, and this is how she treats him?

I heard a news report today (and I have spent more time than I’m willing to admit, trying to find a link to the sound bite I heard) where she said basically these charges would have never been brought if that tape hadn’t been made. (DUH) And that tape would have never been made if the Dr. Phil show hadn’t asked for it.

*sigh*  Here we go again.  People.  People.  People.  When. Are. You. Going. To. Start. Taking. Responsibility. For. Your. Actions????

Dear Hot Sauce Mom,

You are right when you say charges would have never been brought against you had that video never been seen.  But then again, when you sign a release, and go on the Dr. Phil Show,  what exactly did you think would happen?  Did you honestly think nobody would see that video? You know, the video that the Dr. Phil Show taped, with your permission, at your house, for his show????

You’re reasoning,  “The charges would never have been brought, if the tape had never been seen.  The Tape would have never been seen if it had never been made.  It would never had been made if Dr. Phil had never asked for it.”  is absolutely dead on accurate.  But also incomplete.  You forgot the last step of the equation, or maybe the first step.   “Dr. Phil would never had asked for it if YOU had never written his show wanting to be on it.”

And that sentence right there?  Puts the blame right back squarely on your shoulders.  Never mind the fact that you are this boys mother which trumps your letter writing campaign and puts all the responsibility on your shoulders again.

I have to know, was your 15 minutes of fame, getting to meet Dr. Phil, the trip to his show,  along with all the trappings of a television star, really worth it?  Your son would say no.

This isn’t just a parenting issue.  This is an all around people issue.  There are millions of people out there who don’t take responsibility for their actions.  Everything that happens in their lives is always someone elses fault.  Which is great!  It totally absolves you/them of any and all responsibility in any situation.  “Don’t blame me! It’s not my fault!”

The problem is,  if nothing is your fault, then everyone else gets to decide what your life is like.  It’s his fault I didn’t get that raise,  it’s the kids fault we are always running somewhere to a game or practice, and on and on it goes.

One of my least favorite sentences to here, ever, is  “It’s not my fault.”  If it’s clearly not your fault, you won’t feel the need to express it.   If you’re emphatically screaming “IT’S NOT MY FAULT!!!” Guess where I’m looking to place blame?

Own your shit people.  I have enough of my own, don’t be blaming me for your life being miserable.