Roared at a child today...

[fackingsnowballz]

Questioning now whether I may have overreacted or not...

I’ve namechanged as I don’t want it linked to previous posts.

Interested to get opinions and a bit too scared to try AIBU..

So, I have a dog approaching old age, she is partially sighted but no one would know that to look at her.

I took her out for a walk today, she was on lead and a child, I’d estimate maybe 7, ran towards her and the parents called the child back.
I carried on walking and the child ran at my dog again, this time with a handful of snow and tried to get at her mouth.

I assumed the child was maybe trying to feed her snow and carried on walking away only to have said child follow us again and then quite violently hit her with the snow.
It got her shoulder but I think the child was aiming for her face.

Well, I screamed at the child not to dare do that to her and the mum came running over and grabbed her child.
I was absolutely frothing but she didn’t say anything and neither did I, just walked off absolutely raging.

But a small part of me is wondering if I did overreact a bit?
As in throwing snowballs, I suppose, is quite a normal thing for a child to do.
The child isn’t to know she is partially sighted.
Not the child’s fault if parents can’t control/haven’t taught polite behaviour etc

But then I think the child was more than old enough to know better!
Of course you don’t go throwing snow at random dogs.
And you certainly don’t smash it into them at close range..
She is getting on and doesn’t have full vision.
What if she had panicked?
Snapped even then I’d be blamed for having an out of control dog despite her being on lead and walking away.

What would you have done?

@SquirtleSquad So someone can't have a seperate opinion without being accused of that? In your eyes your opinion is justified and in mine my opinion is justified you'd be better off in accepting that not everyone is the same

[quote 1950s1]@Cissyandflora

Would you say that to my face? Say that to me broadcast on a giant public TV? You're being disrespectful[/quote]
Not sure about the tv but yes most definitely to your face.
Hardly inflammatory.

If you came across them again I hope you apologise genuinely
Absolutely not!
While I DO feel a bit bad for screaming at the child; I am a parent myself after all, I’m not a confrontational person and ultimately, any poor behaviour is the parents responsibility, but despite feeling a bit bad, I do I think I would do it again I think if a child behaved like that towards my dog again.

My dog was on her lead, she didn’t approach them, we were walking away from them on our way home and it was the child that followed us.

Not that the child realised of course, but they are lucky that my dog is a very kind, tolerant little soul.
I expect that a significant proportion of dogs would have reacted aggressively and I imagine it would have ended badly for all concerned.

Tbh, I’m not sure I care if the child was traumatised.
They’d be a great deal more traumatised if she had panicked and bit them..

the op said she screamed at the child
I did yes.
I stared the child in the eye and screamed/shouted ‘Don’t you DARE do that to her*
The mum arrived, grabbed her child, said nothing.
I glared and walked off.

@Fackingsnowballz

You were intimidating, disrespectful, and abusive towards a child. I don't hold you in high regard for that.

If my kids did that I’d roar at them, never mind the dog owner! My almost 7 year old knows that you don’t approach, touch or interact with another dog without asking the owner, and she adores dogs and does frequently ask, and understands no! It’s really important kids do understand that for everyone’s safety.

So @1950s1 despite the influence of school, parents, peers, extended family, TV, whatever, a seven year old is still not expected to know how to show respect and kind behaviour towards animals? And it’s totally not their fault that despite all these influences, they still think it’s acceptable to go and bully a dog completely unprovoked?

When might you expect this revelation to sink in?

@1950s1

Circumstances cause people to be child abusers, murderers, theirs, bullies.

We punish them.

If a child, who has the cognitive ability to know right from wrong, behaves in an abhorrent way towards another living them then they deserve, and absolutely should, have a stern and shocking telling off.

We do not let people away with really terrible behaviour just because they have shit parents. Maybe it will have taught the parents a lesson too.

She ( the child) learnt a good life lesson today. First to listen to your parents, and second to treat animals with respect. Imagine if your dog was not as placid, it could have been a different story then.

Well done for standing up for yourself OP.
If the child was 3 years old it would have been a different story but at 7 they definitly should have known better. If it were my child, I'd have read them the riot act the first time they harassed your dog. For both the safety and wellbeing of the dog and my child.

@Fackingsnowballz

Bloody good for you. I would have and have done the same (but at kids running into MY BACK GARDEN to terrorise my cats with super soakers. Spiteful little shits). 👏👏👏

@WhereverIGoddamnLike

they don't have the cognitive ability to know right from wrong. For some reason they thought they could justify their behaviour. Otherwise they would've reacted differently?

"You were intimidating, disrespectful, and abusive towards a child. I don't hold you in high regard for that."

Abusive 😂😂 oh my sides!

@1950s1 have you had quite limited experience of children

You were intimidating
I wasn’t trying to be friendly!
disrespectful
The more respectful thing to do would have been kindly tell the child why what they did was wrong I agree, I do feel a bit bad, but heat of the moment I lost much temper.
I do also think they needed telling in no uncertain terms their behaviour was unacceptable.
The parents obviously hadn’t it done it and it’s pure luck my dog is sweet and gentle.
Plenty of dogs would have bitten.
Additionally, I don’t know if there’s grit or hard ice in the snow, if the child had got her face as I think was the intention she could have been injured.
abusive towards a child
No, I don’t think I accept that one.
I don't hold you in high regard for that
Oh dear, I’m heartbroken

'You were intimidating, disrespectful, and abusive towards a child. I don't hold you in high regard for that.'

No one, especially the OP, cares.

fackingsnowballz you did the right thing in protecting your dog but also the child. Another dog might not be as accommodating in future. I have a 6 year old and she'd never do that to any animal. If a child did that to our dog I would also tell them off and be very upset for ddog. I hope yours is ok.

A 7yo doing something so inappropriate seems at the very least to have behavioural issues.

[quote 1950s1]@SquirtleSquad So someone can't have a seperate opinion without being accused of that? In your eyes your opinion is justified and in mine my opinion is justified you'd be better off in accepting that not everyone is the same[/quote]
Of course not everyone is the same, but you're off your rocker.

Nothing wrong at all. That child will end up being bitten and it won't be the dogs fault.

@1950s1

I was a psychologist.
Children know right from wrong by the age of 2. They understand what is girl and what is wrong. They still choose wrong behaviours, because they're children and need guidance. Which is exactly why you tell them off when they display a wrong behaviour, and it is why they look ashamed. Because they already knew it was wrong.

At what age would you say it is ok to intervene with bad behaviour? If their parents dont discipline in the face of abhorrent behaviour, should we stand back and ignore it until they're 10, 12, 16? Or wait until they are an out of control adult and send them to prison?

We live in a society. We dont live as individuals. If you behave badly in public towards another person or animal then you face the consequences of being told off, whether you're an adult or a child. That telling off helps the child understand that commuting the wrong behaviour leads to a telling off.

You, respectfully, dont seem to have a clue what you're talking about and you're talking down to people without realising that they know more than you.

*good not girl

I probably would have shouted at the kid too. Not your fault at all.

Running up to a dog and smashing snow in its face sounds like a good way to get bitten! At least the child learned their lesson by being shouted at and not by ending up in hospital with stitches. Animals are dangerous.

[quote 1950s1]@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

the op said she screamed at the child.[/quote]
And your point is??

[quote 1950s1]@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

I could in turn say that you're trying to act like my superior by telling me what to do as well.[/quote]
Well you could say that, but it would be incorrect. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@coldsunnydays

She didn't verbally abuse her FFS, she told the kid not to do it again

In the OPs own words, she roared and screamed. I think if you had an OH you would understand the difference between them roaring and screaming at you and telling you not to do something.

Christ on a fucking bike - she told/shouted/screamed at the child not to do it again... that's NOT verbal abuse.