Would you discipline someone else's child?

TattedXMomXStace

I wouldn't have said anything, either, but it would've been super hard to bite my tongue!

Now, if the child was going to get hurt, or hurt someone else...

People are just so weird now, though... you can't say anything without someone getting their "feelings hurt".

I will discipline children of people I know well (ie: nieces and nephews, friends' kids) but that's it... unless, of course, it's something dangerous, and not just annoying,

This exactly. Or, I may say a passive agressie comment/joke to the parent...like take a hint?

I just outright say it reguardless of their feelings. . . . or i say " i already have 1 child and im not a babysitter". . . if a child will hurt themself or someone else i fully agree.

tcunbeliever

I usually give kids like that "the look" and they either stop or stay away from me with their antics. I would not hesitate to tell a child to sit down and behave, nor would I hesitate to tell an adult to stop wasting their breath if they aren't going to enforce a command they might as well not say it at all. Sadly, in those cases I usually feel sorry for the child because they do not have the advantage of an appropriate upbringing. They will have great difficulty being successful in life simply because no one taught them to respect and obey basic rules of society. And likely they will never understand why they can't be successful because once you are an adult people hesitate to point out basic rules and manners - you are expected to know them already.

cmcorn26

I would have done something, a look, a distraction, spoke to him. If my children were ever obnoxious and I wasn't around I would want the behavior corrected...gently.....
My motto....it takes a village to raise a child.

sherrirb

been there done that. when i was younger i wouldn't have said anything. nowadays, i have no problem telling kids in a stern but polite way to shut up if there parents aren't doing the job-- especially, if the kids are bouncing all over the place and could hurt someone.

I too have done something similar to this. I was shopping at Walmart, in the soda aisle and a rather large boy (meaning big for his age) of about 10 years old was trying to hang from the upper shelf where they put the 2 liter bottles. His mother was trying to find her brand but wasn't completely distracted. Several times she told him to stop hanging from the rack. He ignored her.

I turned to the boy after a couple minutes and simply said, "Young man, you should listen to your mother when she tells you not to do something". This was enough to embarrass him and he meekly moved over to stand behind his mother who gave me a quizzical look. I said nothing more and walked away.

I think a LOT of kids out there don't realize that other people see their misbehaving and if you simply point out their wrong doing, they will be embarrassed like this boy and stop.

People get all uptight about other people verbally disciplinging their children. But you know what.... talk to your parents or your grandparents. When they were kids, it was common practice for neighbors to step in when the parents were not present and instruct children when they are doing wrong and quite sternly, and then contact the parents which usually meant a spanking for the child when they got home. People have lost that sense of community and you can see the result in children these days.

snm6996

I've been in situations in the restaurant industry where people's kids were running around. I've told the kids to sit down and also told the parents to watch their kids as the restuurant would not be responsilbe if the kids caused an accident that resulted in injury. It seems like some people don't want to take responsibilty for their kids.
However, in this case, the grandma was trying to get the kid to behave so I would have said something to the kid about listening to her. This isn't discipline in my mind.

MrsAnderson85

I have and I probably would in the future as well.

One, if the parent is not in sight and the child is being EXTREMELY disruptive, disrespectful, etc., notate EXTREMELY, I have said something.

If a parent is struggling with an unruly child, I have said very gently and in defense of the parent, "That is not a very nice way to treat your [mother]." Or sometimes I will speak to the parent about being a child and acting incorrectly, etc. in order for the child to hear, and hopefully become embarrassed.

Again these are responses to jaw dropping occurances.

BioShocked89

If it was a friend or relative's child, yeah. In fact, I do on a regular basis.

As for someone else's child, I'd just move away and leave it be.

My young cousin Johnny is about 7 years old and has Asperger Syndrome. It's a mild form of Autism. Bottom line is, Johnny runs around non stop, is loud, obnoxious, and has trouble dealing with more than one person. And that's just the way he is. The smallest change in

I could be in another room of the house and laughing with one of my relatives about some random topic, and Johnny would come in and yell at us to "Quit laughing at him." When we obviously weren't.

You never know what problems that lady or her grandson may have. In the end, UNLESS they are physically threatening you or your family, I'd move away and put in the ear plugs.