To think hitting someone else's child....

[pinkballetflats]

is NOT ok?

Acquaintance of mine is today boasting online that she hit a 5-year-old last night because of his bad manners while ToTing. Yes, the little angel needed to be told it is not okay to barge through everyone else and knock a smaller child over in the process, but hitting? She was pulled up on it but her attitude is her house, her rules and a slap on the hand is appropriate.

This isn't the first time she's boasted about hitting stranger's children. She did it at a restaurant once too because the toddler was pulling on her hair...fair enough, something needed to be said...but instead she turned around and slapped the child on the hand.

Am I just being precious in thinking this is the completely wrong way to handle either situation?

[MrsRajeshKoothrappali]

I imagine the police will be knocking on her door later.

[TheListingAttic]

She's lucky she hasn't yet had a thump in return!

[Hulababy]

Well, if it was an adult it would be assault. Surely the same applies for a child who is not her own.

I don't hit my own child so I would be furious if anyone else hit my child - and I would not just sit back and shrug my shoulders. She would be told and would face the repercusions of her choice too.

[thebody]

depends on the country she's in and the culture really. some are quite relaxed about slapping children and in itgers she would be braking the law.

I think it's actually nastier to boast about slapping a child than to do it really.

[AngelsLieToKeepControl]

I would have had the police out to her if that had been my child. I don't hit my children, why the fuck should a stranger do it.

[ThedementedPenguin]

I'm with listing.

My sister slapped my ds on the hand and she got an eating from me. If he needs disciplined I do it. He is only 13 months.

[LoofahVanDross]

Where was the 5 year olds parent?

[dyslexicdespot]

Hitting a child is one of the most disgusting things an adult can do.

[squeakytoy]

slapping a childs hand is NOT hitting them..

[MrsBungleScare]

Had she turned round and slapped my toddler in a restaurant she'd certainly get more than she bargained for. She sounds like a nasty idiotic piece of work. Does she go around assaulting adults too?

[Strumpetron]

If I had a child, and someone dared lay a hand on them they'd regret that action.

Wrong on all levels.

[SanityClause]

What is it, then, squeaky?

If I slap your face, would that not be hitting?

[ohmymimi]

Apparently some people think it is acceptable to smack children, whether one's own or not - I do not. When my mother was 90, she was as vulnerable as a child, I can imagine the reaction if I had smacked her for 'misbehaving'.

[MadeOfStarDust]

could be a spur of the moment thing....

I shoved a toddler hand with a pencil poking at my eyes out of the way and got accused of "slapping" by the parent - erm no - I pushed it - sharpish - due to fear of imminent eyeball impalement .... but there was no intention to "slap".....

though her boasting about it suggests intent I guess....

[hardboiledpossum]

of course slapping a child's hand is hitting. I think it is wrong to do to your own child, doing it to someone else's child is awful.

[littlewhitebag]

It may not be ideal to do this but it would not be considered assault and the police would not be interested.

[darkdays]

Definitely NOT ok. I don't hit my children on the hand or anywhere else and would be livid if anybody else saw fit to do so.

[MadameDefarge]

It would be considered assault, littlewhite. Only parents are allowed to chastise their children physically in the uk.

[littlewhitebag]

I know what the law is but honestly the police would not be interested in a smack to the hand unless it was so hard that the child was injured. However the person who did this was completely in the wrong and should not have done it.

[hardboiledpossum]

it is still worth going to the police. It should be logged and would then hopefully show up in a crb, preventing the person from working with vulnerable people

[Thewalkingdeadkr]

The police would need to be called to me if anyone git my child!
It would bring out my primitive side I'm afraid!

[Strumpetron]

The police would need to be called to me if anyone git my child! It would bring out my primitive side I'm afraid!

I was going to say this. I'm afraid I'd lash out.

Love your username btw, last episode has made me nervous!

[HowlingTrap]

This happened to me OP, my DS was in MIL's care, I wasn't there, apparently he was being rought with DNiece, which fair enough tell him off, move him but BIL tapped him on his hand, my son was so incensed he walloped him back and then BIL tapped him again.

I was livid. as far as I am concerned MIL is guilty too, as she condoned the behaviour and my ds was in her care.

[junkfoodaddict]

I slapped my chid's hand when he ran away from me across a road. It was more a little tap - he is 22 months old. It was to reinforce that doing what he did was wrong and dangerous. Words have little/no effect on toddlers and a slap has more impact. The act of running away across a road is something that needs to be rectified as soon as possible. A stern; "Don't ever do that again. It's dangerous. You could have been knocked over" or something similar would fly over the head of my toddler and probably most.
But a slap/smack whatever you call it for barging through people and knocking a small child over is not really worthy of a slap. It was stupid but not dangerous to the extent of putting a child's life at risk.
My DS was knocked over last night by an older child at a halloween party. I let it go. He's smaller than most kds there and I expected him to be knocked over at some point. My child wasn't phased by it.