To step in when someone is yelling at their child…..

[Dandy008]

My friend and I went to the zoo today.

A mother in front of us in the cafe, had 3 children with her, she was also with another adult female who had two children with her.

There was a young girl in her pram, I would’ve said around 2ish (maybe younger) who was crying and screaming.

My son does this often so it’s nothing new to see a child crying in the pram.

However, the mother very abruptly, told the child to shut up and go to sleep.
The child was getting really upset, and reaching to her mother.
The mother grabbed hold of the child’s arms, pulled her towards her and said “shut the f*ck up and go to sleep”

The child was clearly distressed but not once did the mother take her out of the pram or offer any comfort.

She began talking to the other adult referring to
her own younger child as a “little twat” who needs to go to sleep. (Meanwhile, said child was becoming more and more upset)

The child threw her dummy on the floor and the mother said “well that can f*cking stay there”

Her other two children were sat eating and there was no interaction from the mother to them, but the younger child was still very upset and the mother repeatedly was shouting and swearing at her.

Both my friend I began to feel really uncomfortable with how this situation was escalating and especially because the child was so upset and the mother seemed to be getting angrier with her.

I was going to walk over and ask if she was okay or if there was anything I could do to help her, but before go the chance, someone else went over to her.

They didn’t offer her help but began to tell her off and threaten to call the police.

There was a bit of a heated argument the staff came over to diffuse the situation.

I wouldn’t have gone over to argue or tell the mother off (as much as I wanted to) but more to step in to offer support…

Is this a thing? Is it reasonable to do this?!

It’s all very well marching over and intervening but you have no idea if you are going to make the situation worse for that child. For example, the poster who swing her car round the car park to shout to a boy to “tell his teacher” could very well have easily had an extra beating once home for daring to think about telling the teacher about his mother. If you humiliate the abusive parent in front of their child you may just make things worse for them.

I think I would’ve made staff aware, and possibly security. Let’s hope the police came

Let’s hope the police came

I really hope so too. Thank goodness that person was there and had the backbone to call them. Too many people just turn a blind eye to this sort of thing.

@lllllllllll

Let’s hope the police came

I really hope so too. Thank goodness that person was there and had the backbone to call them. Too many people just turn a blind eye to this sort of thing.

@lllllllllll

I wasn’t turning a blind eye, and it’s nothing to do with guts.

I was with my own son, who’s only 18months old.

This woman was aggressive and clearly wound up.
My intentions were to go over but not to just start threatening her with the police or causing her to become even more angry.
I wasn’t about to put myself or my son in a position that could become dangerous for either of us.

I would have been unhappy to see this as well. Probably best to let staff sort it out . Some time ago a woman who smacked her dc in a car park was visited by ss. Someone had taken a picture of her reg plate and reported! She is obv struggling so could do with some help from ss I think