It's annoying to see all these teeny boppers mob around with their opinions that show their inexperience.

It does depend on how old OP is. While a child should respect their parents' wishes, a parent also needs to step back at a certain point and let them make their own mistakes. I'd understand the mother freaking out if OP was under 18, but nothing justifies physical violence.

@74 A person doesn't deserve your respect just because you're their parent. Sacrifice, money, blah blah blah. You CHOSE to do that. And any parent who thinks abuse is okay (and Op's mother clearly does) doesn't deserve to be respected. You get respect by giving it.

#80 i completely agree! Parents chose to have you - why should you respect them if they don't act like a good parent? If they try then absolutely respect them - but it bugs me that people think being a parent means your child automatically can never criticise you or always has to do what you say - if the parent is abusive or unreasonable then you shouldn't have to do it (unreasonable is subjective i know that)

No one is saying what OP did was right or that it wasn't disrespectful. What his mom did is a crime and much worse than what he did. Assaulting your kid is never an okay punishment when they do something you don't want them to. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Abuse is never justified. Her house, her rules doesn't mean she can do whatever she wants to her kid and it doesn't exempt her from criticism. Kids are people, not property owned by their parents. Parents do not have the right to do whatever they want to their kids until the day they turn 18. Minors have the same rights as legal adults. One of those such rights is the right to be protected from suffering bodily harm at the hands of another person.