To worry I didn't do enough

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

On the train I saw a man roughly handling his toddler, swearing at him and shoving him roughly to sit 'in the dirt' because his dirty shoes touched the mans bag and left mud on it. He was swearing and berating him along the lines of 'you ruin every fucking thing etc etc' He caught me looking and started shouting 'Now that woman is looking at me like I'm out of order' so I simply said 'yes I am looking at you, are you going to slam me on the floor and swear at me or do you only pick on babies' I was left shaking and the child's mother approached me to apologise and said he just gets stressed, I urged her to protect her child from the mans temper and she just shrugged. I just worry that if you behave like that in public what do you do in private? Should I have done more?

Like what? What could you have done?

I think you were very brave in what you did do.

I really don't know Tee, just left me feeling bleergh

You did fine, you can always ring 101, if you need advice.

Good for you. I once saw a man being really sadistic to a toddler and I was so shocked I froze and did nothing. I still regret it.

Seems like you did more than anyone else around. You highlighted the situation and at least the parents realised they were acting cruelly. It might have been a wake up call to them. Poor little boy.

I think you did all you could do :(

It is a shocking thing to see, the worst thing to e was that he just went on and on at the poor little thing, can't have been more than two years old.

Very distressing. I think you did well tbh. Sometimes it's hard to string a concise, to the point, sentence together when you are confronted in the heat of the moment.

As another poster has said - hopefully the parents of this child will think about your reaction.

He just gets stressed? Well that's alright then.

What awful people.

I hope so

I think you were brave to call him on the abuse. Good for you.

He gave me an opportunity I couldn't refuse, not sure what I would have done if I had my DCs with me though

I think you did everything you possibly could have & I take my hat off to you for calling that man on his abuse.

As has been said you may well have made his wife think about things.

I really hope so, I'm lucky enough to not be in a position to know what she is going through but I hope she finds the strength to put her little one first

You did very well. I applaud you for speaking out. The mother apologising shows she has some perception of right and wrong so hopefully the little guy has one decent parent.

I hate hearing about and seeing things like this. You did a great thing standing up to him. That's all you could've done.
Hopefully your reaction made the mother think.
It's all too common. I just want to hug those poor children and save them all! :(
Keep supporting the nspcc.

you did far more than many people would have done, I dont think you could have done more