Oregon parents say the physical form while discipline teaches self -control, not punishment

Katie and Dustin Maletich, the four -year parents of Oregon have become viral on social networks for a parental moment which sparked a debate.

After Dustin’s stepson, 9, Tommy, told his mother to “relax”, he was invited to make several pumps and 60 squats as a form of discipline.

Training encountered a father-son conversation in the tone in which he should speak to his mother. Tommy was attentive and apologized to his mother.

The stepfather punishes the disrespect of the boy with pumps and squats in viral video

Dustin Maletich, who is an agent of correctional services in a prison, ended the confrontation with an “I love you” and a hug.

While some praised the stepfather of his approach, others were concerned about the use of physical exercise as a form of punishment.

Dr. Dyan HES, pediatrician and medical director of Highline Modern Medicine in New York, reacted to this discipline method in an interview with Fox News Digital, calling it a “ridiculous punishment”.

“If you’ve already made 60 squats, you know it’s painful, especially in a young prepubère child,” she said. “In any case, it is always a form of body punishment. The exercise should invoke positive, and non -negative connotations.”

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The education psychologist and parental expert, Dr. Michele Borba, shared a different perspective, declaring that the stepfather approached him from the “good path” by responding calmly and applying a punishment that seemed familiar and feasible for the child.

The expert in California was more concerned with how the publication of online video could have an emotional impact on emotion and invoke the “shame of the public”.

In a viral video, a 9 -year -old boy was invited to make pumps as a punishment for telling his mother to “relax”. (Instagram / @ Raisingmaletich)

In an interview with the camera with Fox News Digital, the Maletich family shared that the physical form was not used as punishment for their children, but as a method of teaching self -control and emotional regulation. (See the video at the top of the article.)

“It’s never like” we punish you because you were bad “,” said Katie Maletich. “It’s:” Hey, let’s help we understand better self-control and a better outing for everything that is going on. “”

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Dustin Maletich added: “We are trying to see the consequences in correlation with inappropriate behavior. If you demonstrate the inability to control your actions, then by doing a physical activity, you show yourself that you control your actions.”

“There are many times when I am frustrated,” he continued. “I can’t attack my boss. I can’t cry out for someone. I can’t have a crisis. This is not how the world works.”

Katie and Dustin Maletich joined Fox News Digital for an interview with the camera on August 13, 2025. (Angelica Stabile / Fox News Digital)

The couple shared that their eldest daughter, who is 13, chose to walk or jog if their emotions feel out of control, before engaging in a conversation with their parents.

“(Our daughter) said:” I don’t want to have a conversation sitting with you when I am grumpy “, but when she jogs on the treadmill, she said that she finds that after, she is able to communicate her feelings better because she is more centered,” said Katie Maletich.

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“Our children like to train. They don’t do it every day, but I think that overall, they appreciate it, because it is such a central part of our house.”

Fitness is a “positive liaison experience” for Maletich, she said. “They feel better, and they express it after … they are happier, they are less frustrated. And so, for us, we see that as a victory.”

Fitness is considered a “positive liaison experience” for maletichs, they shared. (Photo Seaira Skinner)

This approach to the discipline can differ for each child and each circumstance, the shared Maletich, which implies “intention and intuition”.

“The most important thing is simply to learn to answer as a parent rather than react,” said Katie.

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The couple’s approach to parenting is “we do not raise children, we raise adults,” said Dustin.

“I think that putting more emphasis on how our children will be able to manage life when they are more important than understanding how to make them happy and comfortable at the moment,” said Katie.

The couple’s approach to parenting is “we do not raise children, we raise adults,” said Dustin Maletich. (Photo Seaira Skinner)

For the other parents, Katie noted that physical activity worked “very well”, followed by “connection and conversation”.

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“It’s a really essential part of that,” she said. “You must explain to them later and ensure that this connection, both emotionally and with the problem and the consequences, is there.”

The couple also responded to the backlash they received after publishing the video, saying that they had asked their son to consent before sharing it. He replied in the hope that this would become viral.