https://myfox8.com/2019/01/29/father-punished-kids-by-forcing-them-to-do-push-ups-for-30-minutes-straight-police-say/

They're widening the scope of "abuse" now.  He was also accused of forcing them to eat soap (for cussing perhaps?)

I had teachers make kids eat soap for bad language, and I've had coaches do worse than make me do pushups for 30 minutes.  So this is now abuse to the point of being arrested for it?

Also, he made them lean forward with their foreheads against the wall for 30 minutes.

Unbelievable.  Next you'll be arrested for abuse by refusing them dessert after a meal for slapping their mother across the face.

MOUNT VERNON, Ky. — A Kentucky father was arrested after police say he made his kids do strenuous workouts as punishment for breaking house rules,

"strenuous workouts" is now an arrest-worthy form of child abuse.

You're just looking at the headline... it says elsewhere "Kidwell – who is 5ft 6in and weighs 320lbs - allegedly left a bruise on his son's chest after punching him." (Daily Mail).

Punishing your child is one thing, but that punch could've been a lethal blow. So that's probably why he's getting arrested.

Nope, I read the entire article.  They are citing the pushups and the leaning against the wall as being part of the charges.  And just because the punch left a mark doesn't mean it was a potentially lethal blow.  Just because the guy is big and strong doesn't mean he hit him hard enough to cause damage.  If he had hauled off with everything he had, he probably would have broken something.  He clearly did not.  When I spank my kids, it'll leave redness on their behind.  What's funny is that, when my wife spanks one of the little kids, they walk away laughing.  So I'll say, "Well, how about if I spank you." ... they immediately respond and start begging for mercy  .  I'm sorry, but it has to hurt a bit to be any kind of deterrent for bad behavior.  I RARELY have to spank my kids anymore.  Because they've felt it a few times, I rarely have to do more than threaten it before they immediately comply.

I should have called the MPs on my drill sergeants. 

I misread the OP. IT was YOUR coaches who were making you do more than 30 minutes pushups, Ladi. Still, it's sadism, in my humble opinion.

 Thank you, Mater! Yes, definitely a sadist!

The problem isn't so much that this man was arrested for abuse -- as it is likely he is an abusive father, considering the punch to the chest. The problem is that this story will settle in the sanguine mind of the average idiot American that he was arrested for being "mean" and therefore 'it is now against the law to be mean to your kidz." THAT is the problem.

Since this was in Kentucky, I can't say what is normal and abnormal for punishing boys of that age. I have relatives in Mississippi where they still take them outside a shed and use a switch.  

You guys need to look at the bigger picture.  Pretty soon they'll be arresting Traditional Catholics for subjecting their children to any form of discipline.

In years past, and currently in the State of Ohio still, unless there's actually lasting damage caused to a child, it's not considered "abuse" where the state would intervene.

These are small steps towards removing the authority that parents have over there children.

So now every time a child has a red mark on his chest, the father can be arrested?  Red mark?  Big deal.  And who cares what the guy "looks" like?  If he was out of control, there would be signs of physical harm other than a red mark.

I think you need to wake up to what's going on.

Let's just say he's not a fitness instructor or a bodybuilder. At this early stage, I think they made the right call going by the physical evidence of abuse. More than anything, he's got the look of a super insecure weirdo who traded in trying to overcome that insecurity with inflicting pain on others a long time ago. Could easily graduate from here to murderer/serial killer.

So now people should be arrested based on what they look like?  Looks can be very deceiving.  To me, he looks like he could just be a guy who wants to teach discipline to his sons.  What's wrong with that?