What would you have done?

[Rollypops]

Hi everyone,
I'm currently on holiday in Cyprus with my 3 year old little boy.
We have just been in a play area, my little boy was going up the stairs to a slide (about 8 steps) where a little boy, probably about 4 ish, was sat at the top of the stairs in the middle, as my little boy walked up the stairs, he stuck his foot out and tried to kick him down the stairs deliberately. His parents were no where to be seen, sat on the above terrace drinking.
If I hadn't of intervened, my little boy would have been kicked down the stairs from top to bottom. Now I know kids will kids, but that kind of behaviour at such a young age is slightly worrying to me.
From one parent to a load of others..... what would your reaction have been?
TIA

I don’t think he’s going to be a psychopath because he tries to push another child at age 4, OP.

I’d have put on my best no-nonsense, teacher voice and told him he can’t push and would have continued to supervise my own child very closely.

Similar thing happened to me. My 16 month old was climbing up the steps of a slide when a girl (around 4 years old) on the top pushed him down. Lucky I saw the look in her eyes just before it happened and was able to catch my DS. He could have been very badly hurt.

I didn't do anything, just removed him from the situation. The mother did see it happened though and had a proper go at her DD. But if not I still wouldn't have done anything other than maybe a "That was not very nice" and take my child away.

@Teaandabiccie I didn't think there was anything in my post about him potentially growing up into a psychopath, but thanks all the same.

I don't parent other people's children, it's not my responsibility. I would have grabbed my dc and steered them away from the area, and ensured I stayed next to my dc and not anywhere near the other child for the rest of the session.

If the parents aren't supervising, the older child will eventually pick on the wrong kid and get their comeuppance.

Okay, I was being hyperbolic…but saying ‘that kind of behaviour at such a young age was slightly worrying to me’ does carry a certain implication or insinuation with it.

@Teaandabiccie He should know better.

You made that insinuation.....

I don’t involve myself with other peoples kids. I’d have said “don’t do that” in a strong tone and moved my child to another area to play.

I would have said a sharp NO to the other kid and then moved mine.

Also please prepare yourself for occasions when your child does things he shouldn’t do, even when he knows better.

I'd have just grabbed my child and moved them away. I wouldn't have tried to discipline the other one as I'd worry that their parents might kick off at me.

Another one for just moving my child away, my daughter picks up on everything so she'd have asked what happened so I'd have just said something to her like I'm moving you away safely so you didn't fall over that boys foot, we have to be careful about where we put our hands and feet around other children