to have removed a stick from a child in the playground who stuck the stick in DS2's eye??

[bythepowerofgreyskull]

his mum was watching him flinging the stick around, he had hit DS2 three times already and each time his mum had said oooh try not to hurt anyone.

The child giggled an ran off each time, DS2 wasn't very happy but not very sad either.
The last time the boy ran up to ds2 and poked the end of the stick into DS2's eye.. lots of screaming from DS2 later, the mum said honey I have asked you not to hurt anyone.

I saw red and walked over to the little boy and took the stick out of his hand and said "sorry I can't let you keep the stick because you have really hurt DS2 and I really don't want you to do it again"

trigger lots of tutting from the Mum and looks of "how dare you speak to my child" although she said nothing.

Her little boys is always punching kicking tripping up children and I had had enough.

Did I act inappropriately? Should I say anything to the Mum at pick up.. along the lines of .. I hope I didn't upset you taking the stick off your child this morning.. I really wanted to ensure he didnt' hurt DS2 again.??

You were right, she was wrong. Say nothing more to the mum about it. She wasn't taking responsibility for her child, why should you feel bad about protecting your son and make excuses for your behaviour? You have no excuses to make.

Nope, totally not out of line. There is an etiquette for not disciplining other people children obviously, but when it crosses over into affecting your own dc and the parent does nothing, you have every right to step in. For moral and safety reasons.
You could say that to her yes, but if I said it, it would have the subtext "please control him in future". I think you did the right thing!

No it wasn't inappropriate. You were protecting your son. And certainly don't say anything to the mum. If someones child hurt my ds and they did nothing constructive about it I certainly wouldn't worry about them being upset about me dealing with it.

Sappy mare, she should have taken the stick from him in the first place, there could have been a serious injury and her son could have actually hurt HIMSELF too. You don't owe her an apology of any sort. Also, if you do say something it may sound a little patronising as tbh, as she should have removed the stick from the boy in the first place and been full of apology to you. She sounds like an idiot.

thanks ladies,
I haven't been online since posting today..
I did't see her at pickup(thankfully!)

I am glad you don't think I did the wrong thing.. I mentioned it to a RL friend and she was horrified she thought I should have just lifted my child out of the way "it is not your place to tell other peoples children what to do"

Your RL friend is nuts. By her reckoning, you wouldn't challenge a kid doing all sorts of dangerous things - pushing another child into a river, for instance. Daft mare.

KerryMum what do you mean about being careful?
what are the actual consequences of talking to someone elses child?
I am not being argumentative I just really don't understand

oh i'd have taken it off him, deffo. i'd have wanted to wring her neck, also.

YANBU at all. At a birthday party we were at last week, a boy in dd's class was effectively strangling one of the girls...(heavens knows what kind of tv these kids watch) Another mother had to step in and pull him off while his own mother networked and piled her plate with grub....the little girl still had nail marks in her neck the day after.....You prevented what could have been serious injury......sticks poked in eyes etc....

if someone repeeatedly poked my child in the eye with a stick i'd be .

Oh Bollocks!

So a child pokes another child in the eye with a stick and we're not suppose to take the stick away? Utter crap!

I'd have taken the stick away even if it wasn't my child who was poked in the eye. It's hardly akin to smacking, is it?

I didn't touch the child I touched the stick he was holding. (splitting hairs)

I have to be honest if she had been agressive about me taking the stick off her child I would have had no hesitation at suggesting that in a tit for tat world I would be interested in what she had to say about the stick being in my babies eye.

In fact I'd say I had a moral responsibility to remove said stick. And I would, without a doubt, expect any responsible adult to remove an object from any of mine if they were using it dangerously.

Oh for God's sake KerryMum...... OP did NOTHING wrong... yes, it's the parent that's at fault but if they don't discipline their child and OP's child was at risk, she has a duty to her own child to stop the child injuring her own child.

that is a CRAPPY message to send to both children, imo.

dittany- that's an interesting point- I think they actually might. Scary thought.....This mother at the party I was at was certainly not in the least bit phased by what her child had done.....

x-post there but tbh if someone threatened to sue me i'd think they were a towering twat. or american. or both.