It's a softplay one...

[thefluffysideofgrey]

At softplay last week with two friends and their kids - all about three including my DS. All playing nicely in the toddler area, we're all keeping an eye on them. Another family arrive with two boys about 2-4. They enter the toddler area and start playing. All good.

A few minutes later the two boys push my DS to the floor and start punching him. My DS just looks shocked and scared, he curls up into a ball. I run over. One of the boys hitting him runs away, the other keeps punching my DS who is still curled in a ball. I (gently) pull the boy hitting my son away and hold him (struggling to hit my son) until his mother comes over. She does so and gives me a mouthful of abuse.

I say nothing to her, pick up my son and take him away for cuddles.

Did I do the right thing? I could'nt believe what I was seeing. Those two little boys were acting like something out of gansta movie, beating (punching and kicking) my son on the floor. One was laughing.

That is not normal behaviour, surely?

Did I do I do the right thing? Never seen behaviour like that before so no idea what you're supposed to do.

I would have called the police and reported the family!

I have a younger DC and have never taken them to soft play however I definitely would have physically intervened in that situation. If it was possible I likely would have lifted my own DC up and away rather than the other child but if that wasn't physically possible to do first then I would have lifted the other child. However I wouldn't have held them, I would have lifted them off, told them it wasn't very nice or whatever and then lifted my own child up and away. I wouldnt have kept hold of someone else's child until their parent arrived if I could take my own child away to safety. Having said all that, I still think YANBU because it's a horrible situation and you probs panicked a bit and I'm sure anyone would.

Called the police?! About a three/4yr old?! Wtf? They haven't even reached the age of criminal responsibility. How do you cope in life if you call the police every time you see a toddler misbehaving, or an adult is rude to you? What a bizarre suggestion.

Yes you did the right thing.
You protected your son.
You were also right to remove yourself from the situation when the other mother gave you an earful... She sounds unhinged and you avoided escalation.

Not normal behaviour in the slightest, you've got to wonder where they've learnt that.

You did so well in keeping calm. Sounds like the mother would be the type to start a fight if you'd had a go at her or her little thugs. Did you report it to the soft play staff?

Hope your sons ok and it doesn't put him off going again.

I would not have touched the other children. However I would have light and sharply said, do NOT hit my son, picked up DS and taken him to safety.

Of course you did the right thing to remove the child however I’d have given the mum a mouthful too. Hope your son is ok

You did the right thing.

Although I wouldn't have put up with the mother and her abuse. I'd have told her very assertively to back off and stop allowing her children to be aggressive.

I think the way the parent reacted speaks volumes for the way the children behaved. You did what you thought best to protect your child. You did not harm the other child. I had the same with another child continuously pushing my son over even when he was crying. Parent wasn't around so I told him you don't push its not nice then carried my son away. It was horrific to witness so I can't imagine how you felt watching your son being punched!

Yes you did the right thing. It's not always ossicle to carefully lift your own child to safety when they're in a ball on floor and another child is laying into them.
I wouldn't have been able to stop myself giving a mouthful back though.

I'm afraid this mother will get into many confrontations like this and worse as her children grow if she doesn't keep a better eye out.

I would have done the same OP don’t sweat it. Though it’s generally wrong to touch other people’s kids i once had to physically remove a child’s hands from round my daughters throat. She was being strangled, what else would I do?

I think I'd have just picked DS up, and then maybe given the mother a smack in the mouth

I couldn't get to my son without first moving the other child- should've said.

I only held the child for a second.

Horrible experience.

I’m very impressed with your reaction OP. I’m not sure I’d have been able to remain calm.

Nonsense to the PP who said it’s not right touch the other child (who was attacking her own). Why should the OP let her child suffer when the little monster was out of control? Clearly the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

I once had to do similar when my dd was 3. An older child was on top of her refusing to move when I asked so I picked him and put him down as my dd was screaming. When I got home she had bite marks on her shoulder. You did the right thing.

Report them to staff at the soft play . I reported something similar recently and they changed now been banned from this place.

You did the right thing, both morally and legally.

It’s perfectly lawful to use reasonable force, even against a toddler, to protect themselves or another person.

Self-righteous mother is obviously a thug and the poor kid may well be getting battered by her and following her example.

You did the right thing, I'd have done the same.

I can only guess where the kids learnt that behaviour from!!

You did the right thing. The mother is bringing up the next generation of thugs.

Second what @AmIThough said!

Well you know where those boys get it from. Yes you did the right thing protecting your son.

Complain to the softplay. Families like that should be banned.

What did your friends say?

I’m so sorry that’s happened to you and your son. I would have given them mother a lot of abuse especially as she was shouting at you. I would have been complaining to the soft play also. So sorry for your son I hope he’s ok and completely forgotten about it! No it’s not normal behaviour.

Sometimes there is no other option than to move the aggressive child off yours, and you have every right to do so. Who else is going to do it? Obviously not the shit parent who taught them to behave that way to start with.

You did the right thing. Protected your son and didn't get drawn into an argument with the other woman. So sad that her kids are being raised to believe that's an acceptable way to behave.

Hell yes you did the right thing! The other mother needs to control her child.