other people's children

[wigglebumsmum]

How do you react when other people's children do something which you consider to be unacceptable? I was chatting to a friend the other day. Her son's bike had been taken and vandalised by some other (older) boys. She had approached the boy's parents who yelled abuse at her. Where I live there are children who regularly play outside (very safe area- quiet cul de sac) but they never seem to be supervised and I have found myself biting my tongue as I don't think it is safe for a three year old to be playing by themselves without supervision.

we live in the same type of culdesac, if the kids are misbehaving I tell them off, have only had one parent (who has had fisticuffs with other people on the estate) approach me, but when I told her what her son had done. He had put the padding of my son's cycling helmet down the drain. She apologised ( I was gobsmacked) and offered to pay for a new one.

I agree that if children are behaving badly to your children you are within your rights to speak to them, but I don't think you can really suggest that it's not safe for a 3 year old to play out - everyone has different views on whether its safe for their tots or not.

Yes thats what i was concerned about princesscc. Everyone has different boundaries and ideas. I just worry sick that one day something will happen to them eg cars reversing out,/driving in and just not seeing them.

'fraid you have to let them find out the hard way. You have to stop worrying about the little one and just make sure your lo's are OK.

Blimey, no one in our village lets their kids play out on the green till they're 10/11 (v. quiet village in Chilterns). If I saw a 3 yr old out unsupervised I'd be v. concerned.