To let my son kick a stone..

[Meemoll]

Walking home from school today, my son was kicking a stone along the ground, and two mums walked past us and one of them moved the stone away from my son and said 'let's not play with that'. What's wrong with kicking a stone?

Nothing. Unless it's near cars,windows,animals,babies & he is actually a super duper footballer with a powerful kick. Other than that it's fine!

He was near non of those things. I think I've been out-mummed.

Too easy to hit someone or a car really.

How big was this stone?

I'd have taken an affront to someone else parenting my child TBH

Unless he was trying to score and kicking it hard, I don't see a problem.
I often have the same urge myself

No he wasn't kicking it hard, just shuffling it along the ground really.

My son does that all the time! Not kicking a long way or hard, just shuffling it along as you say. What is the world coming to!!!!

You really should have said, "No, let's play with that" and kick the stone in her direction.

Ok, not really, but I would definitely get the urge.

Oh if he was just shuffling it then YANBu and they were

How dare she say that when you were with your DS.

I hope you told her to mind her own.

Some people are strange.

My ds 3.8 was playing with a stick the other day whilst walking down the street. He was pretending it was a wand. When a lady walked past and said ' don't hit anyone with that' in a stern voice! My ds said i won't it's a wand I will turn you into a frog. You should have seen her cats bum face!!!!

gogowow hahaha brilliant

You really should have said, "No, let's play with that" and kick the stone in her direction.

^This. Unless he was kicking it at her/her property its none of her business

gogowowyour ds is brilliant

Things I've heard over the years since my dd was a young'un (none of them said to her I'm glad to say):

'Don't climb on that wall' (no more than 2 foot high) 'you'll fall off'.
What child doesn't love walking along on a wall?

'Look at those hooligans climbing that tree'.
Ditto.

'Typical council estate yobbo' (about a boy kicking a tin can).
Never did that in your day did they?

Some people really are joyless twunts aren't they? And they've forgotten what it's like to be a child.

When DH was at school he'd find a stone, kick it all the way home at lunchtime, and then kick it all the way back again after lunch

I'm an adult and I kick stones. It makes the walk less dull.

I would have said something. How dare she tell your son what to do, especially as you were there with him!

If he was causing some sort of problem (which I gather from this thread he wasn't ) then she should have said to you 'do you mind telling him to stop kicking the stone as it's going to hit my car? (or whatever)' but she had no business ticking him off directly.

I would have called her on it and told her to butt out, but then I don't like interfering busybodies.

YANBU. Clearly.

People are strange. Recalls a few incidents I've witnessed over the years. For instance, at a beach: sunny day, family arrive, mother, father, toddler; rug spread on the ground, deck chairs unfolded for adults, all that; mother turns to toddler, strict (and loud!) voice, "Now remember what I said: don't you DARE start playing in that sand!"

Did these people somehow miss being a child themselves? How do their children turn out? The mind boggles sometimes. Stop a child stone-kicking? Huh?