Would you discipline someone else's child?

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.

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.

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.