As a child, I don't remember being disciplined by my parents. That isn't because it didn't happen, but rather that it happened so much that I can't pinpoint one specific incident.
However, what does stick out in my mind are a few times that strangers, or anyone who wasn't my parent of immediate family member, stepped in.
In retrospect, I'm sure I deserved it, but the thought of being told off by someone who isn't your parent is a little strange. Is this OK, or is it crossing the line?
Of course, people are more than allowed to do something like tell off noisy teenagers in a movie theater. But is it appropriate to interfere in a fight between 3-year-olds who won't share?
Laura Mazza of Mum on the Run certainly thinks so. As she says, it's every mother's responsibility to keep the community in check. Read more of her thoughts on the matter below.
Laura shares on her Facebook:
I’m gonna be a real sanctimummy here, and possibly an unpopular opinion… but I needa get this off my chest.
Kids will be kids.
Kids are snotty, they’re possessive, they’re demanding, they’re cute mostly, but they can be little aggressive ninjas sometimes.
There's no other place to discover this then when you put a whole bunch of kids together at a play centre.
When we are at play centres I am a little hellicopterish. Not full helicopter, but one eye is on my mum friend and my latte and the other is on my child.
I like to make sure they’re safe, that they play nice, that they don’t snatch, or sock a child in the face. Because that sh*t isn’t cool.
I am definitely not overly helicopter. I let them go and learn, and I'm not a parent who will not let any other kid go in the vicinity of mine. I want them to socialise and have a good time and all play nice. I am responsible for my own child when it comes to this.
If we are on public property, nothing is my child’s. It’s everyone’s… so just because my son wants a go and drive in a little toy car that little Tommy is in, it’s a case of too bad Son, you are not entitled, you wait your turn.
When little Tommy gets off, then you can play. This is the concept of share. It is amazing how many adults are yet to grasp this.
However, if it’s my sons car, it’s his, and if my son wants Tommy to play, then Tommy can play.
I've never told another child off in my life. I don't like it. It's not my responsibility. My responsibility, like I said, is to my child.
If my son snatches, I correct him, if my daughter smacks, I correct her, if my kids are a**holes, I step in. This behaviour is not okay at any age.
However, today I found myself saying the words “hey, that’s not nice… please stop” to two little kids. Kids that weren’t mine.
Why? Because no one else was gonna do it. I watched two 5 year olds ram one of those mini driveable cars into my daughter and laugh while she fell over while I was helping my son into the ball pit. (This was at a 4 and under play centre).
I watched a little boy climb on top of a jungle gym where his mum had no idea that he was about to come falling down, and I caught him.
She came over when she saw a stranger carrying her kid and gave me a dirty look while she snatched him off me.
I watched two kids push and smack my son while he was trying to go down a slide… and I actually found myself saying "that's not nice, stop!"
I’ve never liked to tell a strangers kid off, but if you’re gonna pretend you can’t see it because you wanna sit and chat, then I’m gonna tell your child off.
I'm not perfect, not even in the slightest. But I'm polite and I'm not in the business of raising a**holes.
I've been up all night too, I am desperate for social time too, I'm lonely, I'm tired, my neck hurts and everything else… but I also don't believe that my kid is entitled to pull your kids hair because I want a hot coffee.
And if you see my kid be a jerk, you tell him off too, or tell me and I’ll correct him asap.
This is the sense of a community.
Mothers if we don’t have each others backs like this, then how can it be a smooth experience for all? This is a village and it only works if we all do our part, that way we can all have a good time.
Watch ya damn kid.
Edit: I didn’t scream or smack the kid. I said it in a low tone that was non threatening. If you saw your child being slapped repeatedly and his hair pulled by two kids, you’d do the same thing.
Laura quickly received a flood of fellow parents who agreed with her words.
Many of them also shared stories of chastising a child who wasn't theirs in similar situations.
Be sure to SHARE Laura's perspective with your friends!
