AIBU to ask another mum not to hit her small child?

[Marylou2]

Just that really. Whatever his alleged misdemeanor he was about 2 and she grabbed him and hit him several times on his arms and back. It was in the children's department of Next.I asked her to stop hitting him which to be fair she did so she could start screaming at me to mind my own business. What would you have done?

When my DS was (IIRC 9-10 ) he was arseing about, chasing DD and running across me.
He dived off into a shop in front of an elderly man on two sticks.
I grabbed DS. I gave him a whack across the backside.
I didn't have time to say "be careful you don't knock into that man"
If I'd just grabbed him, he'd have twisted out of my grasp.

And if anyone - anyone- had said anything I'd have told them to FUCK RIGHT OFF mind their own.

But- my DS was not a toddler.
I think with a small child it's different

70isa

If hitting children was illegal (as it inevitability will be soon) would you have had the same response? Can I ask all the 'mind your own' and supporters of the right to hit posters would they still have walked by WHEN hitting children is illegal?

I ask this as somebody who has hit one of my children once, and don't even regret it. It was in the car, she did something really dangerous, I only had one hand free because I had to keep one hand on the wheel but had to make her stop immediately.