Wish I said something at the time

Running alongside after no interaction would feel very odd for this child. She expressed it badly but your child, a complete stranger, invaded her space without warning. You'll have ongoing issues of this type if you can't stop your child running off with total strangers like this.

OP read the room. You have come on here to ask for advise and everyone is saying that your child wasn’t perfect either, that calling another young child nasty isn’t okay, that you changed stories about how far your daughter was from you, since you had to turn a corner you don’t know what your daughter did before , that the other parents reacted in exactly the right way and that your child may have scared the other child or they didn’t like what she was doing.

Until you can see the whole picture and not just how your daughter was wronged and how this other child was nasty there is no point in responding to you.

I understand the protectiveness, at the end of the day she’s your baby and you will forever want to protect her, but at the end of the day neither of them “should be running” and the other child should not have been pushing. However, kids will be kids and it sounds like she was told off for it. You don’t really know if there’s a background to why the other child reacted the way they did but reason or not they are still learning and sometimes the boot will be on the other foot (in that she’s in the wrong, not violent). I think not saying anything to the other child and telling yours running away from mummy/running in the shop isn’t ok because of XY and Z would be the best way to handle the situation x

So if your 2 year old doesn't understand boundaries it's fair to say the other small child also didn't understand boundaries, hence the pushing.

Honestly, give your head a wobble. It was a non event

@Shannon9955 But I was a bit taken a back, it was a silly innocent thing. But in that moment I just thought what a nasty child.

Are you seriously complaining about a very young toddler being rude?

And was that toddler even being rude? She didn't consent to being chased, so she was just expressing her dislike for what was going on. It was your child who chased her, so should you not have been doing the apologising?

Not everyone is on their A game all the time and can think about how to respond to every situation perfectly.
Tbh I wouldn't have let my child run off along side another child, it's a little weird.
You were the rubbish parent in this situation.

Both very young children, I wouldn’t dwell on it any further OP x

Your DD is going to be pushed and shouted at many times in their life and you can’t get this worked up every time

the other parents should have addressed it more but maybe like you they didn’t say it in the heat of the moment, maybe they are also mulling it over

but altogether a non event

Yes. That's correct. Your child can't just 'be herself' she needs to be socialised. The other girl didn't want someone running next to her. Would you like it if some random stranger started walking alongside you? If you would, then all good. But if you wouldn't, the random stranger needs to stop.

It’s useful for your child to learn early some people will adore her and want her attentions. Others will feel the complete opposite.

You don’t know what your child did to the other one in the seconds you lost sight of her. Maybe she grabbed her or something?

No she doesn't deserve to be pushed but sometimes these things happen. You wait till your baby is 2 and see how she is towards her older sibling and how your then 4 year old is towards little sister - you will see plenty of argy bargy. It's just normal young child behaviour, it's not nasty, they are learning, it's an opportunity to guide them.

And with regard to the boundaries, again, it's up to you to enforce if you think it matters. For example on a pavement by a busy road. In a toy shop I don't think it matters if they run off. (Within reason obviously).

Your child should 100% be pushed if she is making another TWO year old uncomfortable.
It is mad that you think it's ok for your toddler to act like one and expect other peoples toddlers to be like adult saints and get along with any annoying child.

Btw yes I encouraged my daughter since she was 1 to push awy and yell NO to anyone who made her feel uncomfortable. No need to tolerate grabbing, biting, chasing whatever

It is 2 little girls being 2 little girls.

Their little girl shouldn't have run off
Your little girl shouldn't have run off
Both sets of parent should have had them by the hand
The other girl shouldn't have pushed yours
Her parents should have told her not to (they did)
You should have told yours not to run off (you did)
There is no harm done.

There will be a day in soft play or nursery when your little girl sends someone flying. You'll tell her not to, explain it's not nice. You won't appreciate the other mother calling her nasty.

They are all just learning.

Not nice to push for sure especially as an older child but don't worry about it or feel bad you didn't say anything; it's very hard to react in the right way in the moment. Even now given thinking time what could you say that wouldn't have escalated everything? If a child is continuing to push mine I'd say - 'excuse me, stop that please, it isn't kind to push.' But if they've already stopped by the time you get there, as it sounds like happened, not much you can do. Don't beat yourself up about it, letting kids resolve issues themselves apparently builds their emotional resilience (within reason of course).

My 6 year old neice was called a bitch by another kid when I took her to soft play today..

Things happen, people aren't always nice you're going to have to grow a thicker skin, I imagine you wouldn't sleep for a week if the above ever happens to your child.

Hm. You're going to be "that" parent, aren't you.

Chill.

My autistic DD runs away and would not appreciate anyone running with her!

Nothing personal.

Said what? To whom?

Honestly, OP, your child is two. Buckle up for the years ahead.

It's not ok, that's why the other parents told their child to stop it.
But young children do push each other because they are still learning. Your child will no doubt push another kid at some point and you will tell her to stop
Let them parent their child, you parent yours by explaining the other girl doesn't want to play, let's go

The other parents told their child to stop though didn't they? It's then for them to deal with it, not for you to say something to a 4 year old

Get a wrist strap rein, I have one for my toddler and she asks to wear it, keeps us close but gives her some space to feel like she's roaming free, about £10 I don't go out without it.

Even a non-ND child might be uncomfortable with this

Yes pushing shouldn't happen. But they're small children for goodness sake. Children can't fully express themselves with their words, so they use actions etc. just remember this event when your child pushes someone, as they definitely will!!