Flicking an unknown child for throwing rocks at terrapins

[Rafterplease]

I'm sitting in a pub and we are discussing an AIBU of one of the group.

Here's the scenario:

L is in Greece. There's a park with a pool and terrapins in it. A kid - roughly seven - is throwing rocks at the terrapins. The kid is blond but probably Greek. L is standing next to the kid and, fairly gently, instinctively flicks the kid with the back of her hand and says (in English) 'don't do that'. There was no parent in sight. The kid ran away.

L just didnt think, acted totally on instinct. She feels very guilty about doing this. Should she be beating herself up over it?

I don't deliberately hurt children, I thought most adults grasped that, really shocked by the talk of punching kids in the face.

Erm, did I miss the punching kids in the face bit?

A "flick" on the hand - as I understand it - is not "violence" in any sensible use of the word.

Hurling rocks at terrapins which could have damaged their shells, or crushed their heads, is.

The two actions are not remotely comparable.

liberal

If I ever came across that in real life I'd punch the fuckers in the face, never mind a "flick".

Plinths last contribution

Saul still agonising here must get out more about what a flick is.

But it does say that she used the back of her hand, not where she landed the flick.

I opened this thread to see how exactly it had got 104 responses. Jeez, some of the opinions on here are hysterical!

Firstly, she couldn't have given a 'verbal reprimand' as THE BOY DIDNT SPEAK ENGLISH and secondly, oh I've just lost the will to live.

Hugely entertaining tho...:)

Did you read the rest of the post?

Did thE OP FLICK OFF?

If she used the back of her hand, then that would fit the idea of her "flicking" the child's hand away -ie removing it from doing further harm.

Coddo - beginning to suspect it...

For FLICKS sake.

Scarlet as I've become hopelessly invested in this thread...

The boy tho' blond was presumed Greek (why?), we have no idea what language he spoke, but "NO" is pretty universal anyway IMVHO.

I did read your post Plinth and I'm an animal loving veggie, those photos you describe sound horrific (why are you looking at them?) But seriously punching kids in the face is not ok, you know that.

The OP is in the pub with friends who have all long since forgotten the fucking turtles and mysterious, blond, Greek, sociopath.

Scarlettothello - I, too, was startled to notice how many responses this thread has garnered! (even though I seem to have been responsible for a fair percentage of them myself!) Beginning to wish I'd remained a spectator too....

When she sobers up tomorrow (having forgotten she ever started this thread) she will be stunned by 1000 posts about face punching, arse kicking and parachuting toads.

BCS - I'm thinking of hiding, retiring and flicking off...

The op said "L fairly gently, gave a flick with the back of her hand" I'm guessing you mean a gentle back hander on his arm?

I personally don't think anyone should be giving any child a flick with the back of her hand, especially someone else's child, I would have told him to stop though.

To all those interested in statistics -Number of posts on this thread by OP - 1
Number of impassioned posts by the rest of us - 117 (at last count)

This is my first day of posting on MN, after lurking for a while. I've become obsessed this evening, if this thread is anything to go by I'll end up some kind of unwashed hermit typing away while life passes me by :)

No, my DD's would have done a lot more damage [to the boy]
Perfectly normal and understandable I'd say.

Welcome iluvpud.. ...

IlovePud - welcome :) It is somewhat addictive here

Oh dear, ILovePud - what an introduction! (I would like to say it's not typical but that would be lying through my teeth.)

This thread has all the hallmarks of a certain kind of AIBU thread - improbable situation, heated argument, disappearing OP..... You have so much to look forward to!

She flicked him? How scary, the poor kid must've been terrapied :(