To feel heartbroken that children are treated cruelly

[NooNooHead]

This may be a triggering post for some, so I am sorry in advance.

I was shopping a couple of weeks ago and went into the parents’ room to change my DS. A young couple with two beautiful children come in; one under two and a baby. They are shouting at them as they enter, telling the little girl she is being a ‘little shit’ and telling had she had better ‘effing behave’ and proceed to change their baby while shouting in a horrible way at their toddler.

I tried to put it to the back of my mind and thought that they were probably at the end of their tether after a long and tiring shopping trip, but I got the feeling that they spoke to their daughter like that regularly and their general parenting involved a lot of swearing and abuse towards her. When I got home, I tried not to think of it too much more but found myself in tears at the thought of the poor girl being so badly treated and how others like her are treated in a much worse way, both physically and mentally.

How anyone can even contemplate ever mistreating an innocent child is beyond me, and it breaks my heart to think of poor little innocent children who are suffering and treated this way.

AIBU to have been so upset at the couple I saw? Was I too over sensitive? (It’s probably my hormones all over the place after my recent pregnancy...)

I’m afraid that is life. It’s not pleasant and there are loads of incapable people out there.

That would upset me, too. I'd find it hard not to say anything. Always makes you think if they do that in public... but I'm sure others will come on and say that what you saw was a tiny snapshot and that some people just swear a lot!

I know, but it really upset me so much. I know I can be over sensitive but it was the unkind tone they had towards their little girl that made me want to grab her and give her the biggest protective hug. Some people are so awful.

You should have protected the child if it was bad enough to still be upset by it. Call the police if a child is being abused

I was just thinking this a few days ago. My DD who is 3, couldn’t quite make it to the toilet on time after playing next door, and wet herself in the kitchen on the way to the toilet. I helped change her, and mopped up the kitchen, as all good parents would do, but I couldn’t help but think how some poor children would be treated and shamed. I once heard my old next door neighbour telling their little girl who must have been about 4/5 at the time they he would “knock her fucking teeth out if she carried on”. He never would have done, it’s just the awful way he would speak to her. It’s dreadful.

It’s not unreasonable at all, I would have felt the same. I was on a bus once and a mum was swearing at her daughter when she was just trying to show her a picture she had drawn at school, it upset me too. You can’t help being sensitive, just try and put it to the back of your mind.

I agree thewinehasgonetomyhead - we would both never mistreat any child but I am always aware there are very cruel people in the world who wouldn’t think twice about it. And then there are those who can’t have children and who would give anything to have one. The world is so unjust at times. 😢

I really hate this and often want to say something to the parents. I don’t because they could be having a hard time but it’s no excuse. I have never even raised my voice at my child because she’s 2.5 years old. It’s not right and they will become scared and possibly traumatised. I remember being terrified of people shouting at me as a kid because my mum abused me. It really sticks with you. I consider shouting and swearing at your kids abuse. It would be the same with adults

i can't bare it, i'm often kept up at night at the thought of a child being mistreated and how if i won big on the euros i'd adopt every child in the uk just so i could protect them