Teen Mom star, Maci Bookout is being bashed by fans for her treatment of her toddler son, Maverick in a resurfaced clip from the series. Fans are calling her behavior towards her son “disturbing”.
In the clip, the family is sitting down for dinner but things aren’t as pleasant as Maci would prefer.
Both Maci and her husband, Taylor were eating with two of their children, Maverick, and Jayde.
Maverick, who was a toddler at the time was squirming around in his highchair, and Maci pointed her finger towards him and redirected him by saying:
“Maverick turn around and sit down.”
Maverick then began crying and Maci reprimanded him again by saying:
“You know your daddy will whip your butt.”
Taylor then leaned in toward the toddler and said:
“Hey. Turn around and sit down. You’re alright. You’re selling it a little bit.”
Maci then began reminiscing about when her oldest son, Bentley was younger and she had to do the parenting mostly on her own.
She said:
“My God, I’m so glad the dad’s here now. I used to have to whip Bentley’s a** and hug him at the same time.”
Fans were appalled by Maci’s treatment of her young son, and by her confession that she used to “whip Bentley’s a**”.
Reddit commentators had a lot to say about the resurfaced clip.
One said:
“Is the physical discipline necessary for a baby or am I just extra? I know to each their own but this kind of disturbed me.”
Another added:
“Hitting is never necessary for any age. Spanking is proven to cause psychological damage. It’s illegal in over 30 countries. Parents that do it are abusive & lazy.”
Another commenter who is also a mom said:
“I have a 16-month-old and this makes me feel sick to my stomach. The way they’re both smirking and laughing about hitting a baby, it’s f**ked up.”
Maci and Taylor are parents of the two children together, and Taylor is the stepfather of Maci’s son, Bentley who she had with ex, Ryan Edwards.