Other children’s behaviour

[purplepenny500]

I was at a cafe/play area with my husband and three year old daughter today. She wanted to go inside a play house so we walked over together. There were a few children in the house and as we approached, a little boy shouted out of the window, ‘No more in the house!’ I said, ‘Oh, it’s fine, she can go in for a minute.’ Meaning my daughter and she went in. He then picked up a handful of wood chippings and threw them at me. I ignored him and went into the house with my daughter as I wanted to make sure she was safe. He then got distracted and left the house. My question is, what to do in that situation? If he would have carried on throwing the wood chippings? My daughter was oblivious to it today but obviously she will become more socially aware as she gets older. I hate any kind of confrontation, especially if it’s a family day out but I also wouldn’t just want to leave because he was shouting and throwing things at me. I want to set a good example for my daughter.

I think you did the right thing.

If that were me and my son, I would have done the same as you - ignored the child's bad behavior at first. And if it has continued, I would have given him a frown and said reasonably friendly but stern voice that he shouldn't throw things at other people.

If he still carried on, then I would disengage and find somewhere else for my son to play. And on the way, use that boy as a learning example for my Son, so he knows what he shouldn't do, and what the consequences are (Bad behavior = people who don't want to play with you).

I would never really escalate further with another person's child, unless something dangerous was happening.

You can't fix other children's behavior, and the only thing that will come from going further than telling them not to do something, is a likely confrontation with their parent, which will achieve nothing, help no one, and likely ruin your day.