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?

I’ve told off teenage lads on occasion. As I’m old enough to be their gran they generally pay attention ( this surprises nobody more than me). Younger children with parents present, I wouldn’t.

I tell other peoples kids off. Most recently a group of teens damaging plants in the park and then throwing them at the ducks in the pond. I told them to stop it and that I had a photo(I didn’t) and would be posting it on Facebook for their parents to see if they didn’t stop. I then stood and watched as they moved on. These kid were bigger than me(I’m only 5ft) but they listened.
My DH and eldest ds were mortified but I’m sick of kids like that causing damage in our local area.

Another teacher here. It's automatic.
Children and teenagers ( mostly!) respond too, even just to my trade mark hard stare or mouthed instructions.
Pre-Covid there were two 10/11 year olds playing on the escalator in Boots, running up the down one etc and really getting in the way.
I just stood at the bottom and looked at them. One spotted me and nudged the other and they stood still to come down to the ground floor. I said 'Thank you' as they got off, and one said 'Sorry, miss'. I had never seen them before, but they recognised the authority.
I honestly never think about it, although often regret it as I do it... But it is second nature to stop young people hurting or upsetting themselves or others, and that impetus doesn't stop at the school gate.

I told a kid off yesterday. Currently on holiday in Cornwall and was on the beach with the dog (off the lead). Some kid was hitting the dog with a stick. Now my dog is very chilled and good with kids, but I cannot be held responsible for her behaviour in response to that. I said to the child, in a polite way "please don't hit my dog. Be nice to her, stroke her, say hi but don't hit her", He denied hitting her😣. I said, "yes you did, I saw you". He still denied it.

I was expecting him to get his parents involved and give out to me but was prepared for it. He looked abo it 7, old enough to know you shouldn't hurt animals.

Wow, if someone hit my dog with a stick there wouldn't be any 'please' about it.

I told some kids off today. DD and I went swimming. We were by the side of the pool and no one else was in that half of the pool. Three kids about 8 years old or thereabouts (presumably different ages as it was family groups only) got in, swam right up to us (elbow touching distance) with two on one side and one on the other. Then they started speaking across us and spitting water! I said 'Am I invisible? What on earth do you think you're doing?!'. It would have pissed me off without covid tbh.