Of all the potentially explosive conflicts between parents, nothing seems to upset us as much as seeing another child misbehave and having the other parent do nothing, either by conscious choice or because they are busy running after another child or checking their digital device.
Most of us want to do the right thing, but struggle over what exactly that is. For example, is it okay to discipline another person’s child if they are not around? Is it better to seek them out and recant the situation for them so they can handle it? Occasionally the mother bear instinct takes over and we do our best to protect our child without overstepping our boundaries.
Take our friend Laurie whose 18 month old daughter was waddling around an indoor play structure at a local shopping mall, when a six year old boy literally trampled her. Laurie immediately ran over to comfort her daughter and looked around for the parents of the boy who ran her over. “I had no idea where his parents were, so I stopped the brat and said, “Excuse me little boy. Please be careful, blah blah blah…” I didn’t touch him or raise my voice. The next thing I know his dad swoops in and demands, “What are you doing?”
“Your son just ran over my daughter.”
”I know but he’s just a baby,” he says as he starts coddling his son. “If you have something to say, you can say it to me.”
“O.K. Watch your kid!”
I envy friends like Laurie who have no problem being so direct. I would love more ideas on how to handle these situations? Any advice?
Watch your kid so I don’t have to!
Of all the potentially explosive conflicts between parents, nothing seems to upset us as much as seeing another child misbehave and having the other parent do nothing, either by conscious choice or because they are busy running after another child or checking their digital device.
Most of us want to do the right thing, but struggle over what exactly that is. For example, is it okay to discipline another person’s child if they are not around? Is it better to seek them out and recant the situation for them so they can handle it? Occasionally the mother bear instinct takes over and we do our best to protect our child without overstepping our boundaries.
“Your son just ran over my daughter.”
”I know but he’s just a baby,” he says as he starts coddling his son. “If you have something to say, you can say it to me.”
“O.K. Watch your kid!”
I envy friends like Laurie who have no problem being so direct. I would love more ideas on how to handle these situations? Any advice?