An Oregon couple, Dustin, 35, and Katie Maletich, 32, found themselves at the center of a viral social media debate after sharing a video on TikTok that depicted their unique parenting method. The video, posted under the username @raisingmaletich, showcased how they disciplined their nine-year-old son, Tommy, by making him perform physical exercises as punishment.

The incident that sparked the disciplinary action occurred when Tommy, while arguing with his mother, Katie, over using her phone, responded with a dismissive, ''OK, chill''. This remark did not sit well with his father, Dustin. Upon hearing his son tell Katie to 'chill', Dustin immediately confronted Tommy, asking, ''Did you just tell your mum to chill?'' Without hesitation, Dustin instructed Tommy to begin doing push-ups. Tommy complied, performing ten before stopping. However, Dustin insisted he continue, pushing him through an additional ten for a total of 20 push-ups. Exhausted, Tommy was then told he also had to complete 60 squats.

After the strenuous physical activity, Dustin delivered a clear message to his son: ''Do we tell mum to 'chill out'? Absolutely not. I wouldn't let anybody else talk to her like that so you don't get to talk to her like that.'' The interaction concluded with Tommy apologizing to his mother, and the video ended on a loving note, with Dustin telling his son, ''I love you,'' followed by a shared hug.

Katie Maletich, in the caption accompanying the viral video, expressed her gratitude, stating, ''I will never stop being grateful to be raising kids with a real man who knows how to be a father, especially to his boys. This is masculinity.'' The footage quickly garnered over 1.4 million views, igniting a fierce debate among viewers, with some applauding Dustin's disciplinary method and others strongly criticizing the couple for using physical activity as punishment.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Dustin and Katie defended their actions. Dustin clarified that the exercises were ''not something exceptionally difficult for him because we all workout together as a family for fun several times a week and he is used to this sort of exertion.'' He emphasized Tommy's immediate recognition of his mistake, noting, '''You can tell right away when I ask him, 'What did you say?' that he knew he had messed up.'' Dustin praised his son for his genuine remorse and for apologizing to Katie without being prompted, highlighting that the moment ultimately ''ended with love.''

Dustin further explained his philosophy behind the punishment, stating that physical exercise allows Tommy to ''refocus when he feels that he doesn’t have control over his body and mind which always makes him more reception to healthy communication.'' Katie also shared the emotional significance of the moment for her, revealing that she grew up in a ''home where there was a lot of toxicity, emotionally reactive parenting, yelling and anger.'' Seeing the ''corrective parenting moment'' unfold between Dustin and Tommy left her ''very emotional'' and feeling ''inspired.''

Addressing the widespread online backlash, Dustin asserted that every parent chooses to raise their children ''in the way they see fit.'' He added, ''I think as long as you aren’t doing anything to intentionally harm your child, I think you get to make that decision.'' The couple's overarching goal, Dustin stated, is to raise Tommy as a ''healthy, happy, resilient and respectful human.''

The social media debate continued to rage, with comments reflecting deeply divided opinions. One user commented, ''I don’t really agree with physical exercise being used as a punishment but glad he was supportive of not letting them talk to you that way.'' Another offered a contrasting view, chiming in: ''the fact he even said 'don’t give up' & 'good one', encouraging him while also being a parent & disciplining him! literally a perfect example of what good parenting should look like in a situation like this!'' A third user supported the couple's approach, stating, ''this is called tough love and holding children accountable for their actions. a lot of parents don't understand this. which is why we end up with kids running ragged.''