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Original poster

Would you intervene if someone smacked their child in public?

21 replies

Username721 · 22/02/2023 23:51

Hypothetical question, I haven’t been in the position.

I’m sure it does happen though, people hitting their children in public.

I think if I saw someone do it, I wouldn’t be able to turn the other way.

OP posts:

Solittletimeforwine · 23/02/2023 00:00

Yes I think so, I’d like to think so, I’d like to think I’d not witness such s thing and not get involved.

Seeleyboo · 23/02/2023 00:01

I would. It's illegal where I live.

Somanycats · 23/02/2023 00:10

No I don't think so. I mean there are lots of parenting behaviours I don't approve of, but unless they are illegal I don't generally intervene. I also don't know who it would benefit other than making me feel good about myself. There is no way a bolshie onlooker getting involved is going to give an already stressed or angry parent pause for thought.

threeplusmum · 23/02/2023 00:20

As uncomfortable as I may be witnessing it, I wouldn't get involved.

RonniePickering · 23/02/2023 00:23

Would depend on the aggression used. A smacked hand or bottom I wouldn't challenge, a hard crack round the head, I possibly would say something.
I'd be worried about them taking it out on them worse for being challenged.

DogSaysWoof · 23/02/2023 00:29

Sadly it is my experience that a stranger challenging a parent hitting child often results in the child being hit as soon as they're behind closed doors.

"Do you see what you did? Do You? Do you want people thinking your dad is a bad un? Do you? Why can't you just do as you're told?"

I'm afraid I would only say anything if it was quite serious.

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 23/02/2023 03:05

No. I’m not sure how on Earth confronting someone would help, other than continuing to make them angry and risking them taking that anger out in the child.

SlipSlidinAway · 23/02/2023 03:37

I think if I saw someone do it, I wouldn’t be able to turn the other way.

So what would you do op? And what would you expect to achieve?

LadyJ2023 · 23/02/2023 03:50

Hitting and smacking are 2 very different words...But no general smacking not my place.

Lucylock · 23/02/2023 03:52

No, because I'd be worried about the impact on the child.

SlipSlidinAway · 23/02/2023 03:58

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 23/02/2023 03:05

No. I’m not sure how on Earth confronting someone would help, other than continuing to make them angry and risking them taking that anger out in the child.

That's exactly my experience when I once challenged a woman for pushing and slapping a child. I just made things worse and the poor child got the, 'now look what you've made happen' rant as they walked away.

amylou8 · 23/02/2023 04:18

No, smacking a child in England is perfectly legal. What right would you have to challenge someone's legal parenting choice because you didn't agree with it?

StClare101 · 23/02/2023 04:27

No. I don’t smack but I’m not going to police other people doing it. There’s no way half the people on this thread saying they’d speak up actually would, otherwise none of the anti social behaviour that is now almost a norm would happen.

Soonenough · 23/02/2023 05:56

I have . It is illegal here. Saw a woman smacking her child in a car seat. I said STOP, no. She looked annoyed and said something about how child was defiant . I said that I know it can be hard with kids but you can't do that . She calmed down and said OK thank you.

BruhWhy · 23/02/2023 05:58

For me it would depend.

Goatinthegarden · 23/02/2023 06:03

Not directly, but I discreetly followed a woman who was berating and whacking a child. When she got in her car, I took the plate and phoned social care direct. They told me they’d do an anonymous welfare check and look at the camera footage from the shopping centre it had happened in.

I’ve obviously no idea what happened next, but I am a teacher and we regularly get police/social care come to school to say they have had a tip off from someone about a particular child and ask for more information. Hopefully something was resolved.

id be worried confrontation would make the situation worse.

BruhWhy · 23/02/2023 06:05

Posted too soon.

It would depend on the circumstances. It's never acceptable to hit a child ever, but i probably wouldn't get involved if it was a single tap on the bum or something, just give a hard stare. Thankfully never seems to happen where I live much.

There was an incident a few years ago when a very irate mother was hitting her tantrumming 4-ish year old boy around the head and screaming, outside a supermarket, I and several others intervened then. That was awful. The shop security came to deal with her because she was aggressive to everyone else too, I left before it escalated any further so I don't know what happened but she wasn't in a good place.

CeriB82 · 23/02/2023 06:28

Absolutely not! Im in wales so its illegal but i would not intervene. Nothing to do with me.

MummyHopeful2 · 24/02/2023 17:31

No, I am anti-smacking but I wouldn't want to make it worst for the child afterwards.

OriginalUsername2 · 24/02/2023 17:38

I wouldn’t dare. For myself and the child when they get home with an even angrier mother.

It does make me so upset seeing mums be horrible or neglectful to their tiny children in shops, etc. but if they’re like that in public they must be terrifying behind closed doors.

Notamum12345577 · 07/08/2023 23:31

Username721 · 22/02/2023 23:51

Hypothetical question, I haven’t been in the position.

I’m sure it does happen though, people hitting their children in public.

I think if I saw someone do it, I wouldn’t be able to turn the other way.

It’s not illegal though, obviously as long as they aren’t beating them, so what could you do?

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