Mom gave her mother-in-law the same lesson after she slapped her autistic son over a toy — but her husband’s words hurt the most
Families often talk about discipline, boundaries, and doing what is best for a child. But those conversations can become far more complicated when a child has special needs and relatives decide they know better than the parents. One TikTok user, who goes by @txcstories, shared her follower's story on June 8, 2026, involving her mother-in-law, who slapped her autistic son after he refused to share one of his belongings with a cousin, insisting she was trying to teach him a lesson. The explanation did little to ease the mother's anger, especially after seeing how distressed her son had become. Determined to make a point of her own, she came up with a response she believed her mother-in-law could not ignore.
@txcstories Replying to @Jen Z my MiL slapped my 8 year old autistic son Part 3 … could of been worse, had her mum left her a toe ring id have had to kick her into next week 😏 #followerstory #fyp #storytime #viral #milproblems ♬ original sound - txcstories
After being told that social services could do little because it was considered an isolated incident, the follower decided to confront her mother-in-law herself. She went to the woman's house, opened her jewelry box, and put on several pieces of jewelry left to her by her late mother. When her mother-in-law demanded that she take them off immediately, the mother refused. She later explained that she wanted to recreate the situation her son had faced. When her mother-in-law became angry about having her belongings "taken," the daughter-in-law slapped her, arguing that she was applying the same lesson about sharing that had been used on her autistic son.
What hurt the mother most, however, was her husband's reaction. Rather than focusing on the fact that his mother had slapped their autistic son, he argued that her response was worse because it was planned, whereas his mother's actions happened "in the heat of the moment." The explanation left her stunned, especially since even the police officers called by her mother-in-law appeared to understand the logic behind her actions.
According to another TikTok video, the boy was not refusing to share toys in general. The dispute centered on a specific teddy bear and blanket that served as comfort objects and emotional safety nets, something many families with autistic children understand can be deeply important. NHS England states that sensory sensitivities are considered a core characteristic of autism, affecting an estimated 69% to 90% of autistic individuals.
According to the National Autistic Society, many autistic people rely on routines, rituals, and familiar items to help them feel calm, regulated, and secure. As a result, favorite toys or comfort objects often carry a deeper emotional significance than they might for neurotypical children, serving as important tools for self-soothing and emotional regulation. On the other hand, research cited by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that corporal punishment can harm children's physical and mental health, increase behavioral problems over time, and provide no positive developmental outcomes.
Every child deserves to feel safe with the adults around them, especially children who rely on familiar routines and comfort objects to navigate the world. Regardless of differing views on discipline, most agree that physical punishment should never replace communication, particularly when a parent is not present to advocate for the child's needs.
For more such stories, you can follow @txcstories on TikTok.
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