Things back then aren't like they are today. Men ruled the family, period. if a man meant to whip his child and the woman interfered, she probably got the first whipping, then the child.

As far as Indian women went, the Plains tribes , the women owned the Tepee, but if she lost her man she lost her way of survival. So no, she did not rule the roost. She owed her survival to that man. Without that man or another to take his place, she would be stripped of worldly goods and cast out of the Tribe.

I don't know how it worked in the Woodland tribes who lived in more permanent structures.