to tell off other peoples kids

[KirstyT79]

ok stupid as this sounds my username doesn't match my gender. i was just out of interest trying to see how people changed usernames on mn and how easy it was to do. but i am posting with a question. how do you feel about telling off other peoples kids? am i the only person who would feel really uncomfortable to do this unless said child was putting themselves in serious danger?

Once took a huge stick off a well known feral dc chasing younger dc round a park. Little fucker..
Shopped the same dc to his dm for spitting on my new car.. She was quite a scarey woman to say the least and my legs were a shaking!! Stood my ground when she professed he wouldn't have. He did I reinforced. Needed a sit down before I drove off!!

I’m a teacher and tell off other people’s kids in parks if necessary 🤷‍♀️ Yesterday a kid I didn’t know was dragging my son down to the floor by his hoodie. Too right I told him off!

so maybe i am just a very soft person? lol

I do. Not often but if a group are clearly bullying one child, if they’re fighting or messing about at level crossings.
Less so younger children unless they’re causing damage or trying to touch the dog without asking. I might if they were poking at food in supermarkets too.
Parental presence is not a deterrent.

Your username doesn't match your sex I assume you meant to say.

I wouldn't be comfortable doing it but that's not to say I wouldn't, depending on the circumstances.

i think what it is your damd if you do and damd if you don't because so many parents often will say"its my ds/dd its my job not yours keep your f*king nose out of it.

Oh and this is a Parenting forum so nobody gives a gnats fart about what sex you are.

Slub. yes i meant my sex i am a man. been on mn for a while now and saw how many people changed usernames regularly so thought i would try it to see how easy it was to do. there was nothing weird about my intention here. i'm not a johnny cash prodigy lol

I do it regularly if they are being a nuisance near me in an inappropriate way or at risk of injuring someone. They do tend to look shocked as generally the kids causing the trouble are those whose parents don't discipline them very much!

I'm in my 30's and grew up in an area where it was totally normal to be told off by another adult of you were being a little shit.

We moved when we had kids and have twice had to tell another child to get off my child for hurting them (one biting and one hitting with a hold club so not unintentional) - both times the parents told me it wasn't my place to tell their kids off for them. Seems odd to me tbh, of you can't watch them yourself then other people will do it for you!

Not sure if it's a regional thing or its happened over the years but if mine are being brats then I don't care if someone gives them a (reasonable) verbal telling off.

I have done, when the behaviour has been dangerous. Has to be carefully judged though. Unfortunately, very badly behaved children sometimes have equally badly behaved parents. Last thing you need at a soft play or whatever is another parent swearing at you.

Thankfully, those days with ours are long gone - until we start to take our grandchild, eek

I'm a teacher so tell off other people's kids all the time!

I am of the opinion it takes a village. I generally leave other people's children be, but if I see kids being antisocial i will call them out on it. I'd like to think that other people would pull up my kids too.

I told off a friend's daughter for lying to me. Blatant out and out pointless lies. She's 9. I told her not to lie to me again. Didn't tell my friend though because no point.

I told off a toddler for kicking my toddler in the face when we were in the cinema. Little shit.

I have also told older children to pick up rubbish they have dropped and so on.

Happy for my children to be told off by others too.

If a strange bloke spoke to my DD he'd better have a bloody good reason. Life and limb reason.

I also think the kind of people who speak to other people's children are sometimes a bit much. I watched one shame a group of children in a lengthy fashion when just saying 'Oi hands off' would have done the same job. But yes, violence, cruelty etc. I do.

Another teacher here - I also tell off other people’s kids, I can’t slip out of teacher mode even on my time off. I told 3 teenagers in onestop yesterday to put their masks on. I could see the staff in there didn’t want to do it, and the other customers were looking at them but not saying anything. I know it was not my business, but they did put them on!

@KirstyT79 fair doos 👍

yup its a difficult judgement call isn't it? that balance between interfeering and feeling fearful for their safety

I might if there didn't seem to be anyone patenting them, and I included the mum say across the park drinking coffee and ignoring them as not actively parenting. Would only get involved if the behaviour was dangerous or unfair on other children though.

i am not even sure i would be telling other peoples kids to put a mask on in a shop. that's none of my business and its down to the shop to make sure that everyone wears them whilst in store but then i am not too worried about it as i am not at any serious risk from covid or anxious about it which if i was would change things

If I have to, though I do try and avoid if I can.

I did loose it once though, some older kids were playing an under 5 soft play area, we were on a ferry to France. The parents had just dumped the kids and obviously gone to get pissed. They were going mad around all the little ones. One of my DDs had just turned 2 and this little fucker, I say little easily 10/11 years old actually used her head and neck as a spring board to jump around the soft play area. I went nuts, I’d already told them twice to be careful around tge little ones and asked where there parents where.I then proceeded to storm around the bar looking for the parents. My very passive husband managed to calm me down in my third lap of the bar. It was around the time of the french terror attacks and armed police were on the ferry. My DH was worried I’d swing for the parents and get myself arrested. I probably would have too 😬

I feel awkward about telling off other people's kids top op.

I have done before but try my best t be fair, kind and not aggressive in any way when I do it. The one area I struggle with is when I'm at a skateparks with ten or more foil mouthed teens saying c, f etc. I would rather my DC didn't have to hear all this but I doubt me asking them to stop or telling them it isn't great round young kids will make them stop

People should tell off other people’s kids if the parents don’t get there first. Then we won’t raise a generation of snowflakes and they’ll have some boundaries.

Had to tell a bunch of kids off for running up a tube slide the other day. Had to threaten to find their parents / someone who works at the place where it was before they stopped. I told them in a friendly tone but was very firm.