We have all seen that child in the store… running around… knocking over stuff… being very loud… irritating everyone around them.  As most of us watch we’re thinking that this child needs to be disciplined.

Though we’re thinking it, is it ok to discipline someone else’s child?  Are you ok with someone else disciplining your child?  I would like to think that if my child were out doing something she should not be doing that a responsible adult would step in and guide her in the right direction.   For the most part, however, most people are not comfortable with a random stranger disciplining their child.   This is usually reserved for family and close friends.

Not too long ago it was acceptable to discipline a neighbor’s child as you would your own.  I don’t think that holds true anymore.  I asked some other mothers to share their stories of other people disciplining their children and how they felt about it.  The consensus pretty much was that most people are ok with someone else disciplining their child when danger is involved.   For the most part, when children are just being annoying, it’s best not to get involved.

Once I was in the the local office supply store.  My little five year old started climbing the store ladder.  An employee came running over to stop her and was screaming at her.  I was very upset by this.  I’m ok with someone telling my child no and maybe even explaining why she shouldn’t be doing what she is doing,   However, blatantly yelling at my child infuriated me.  We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”  I was ready to put on my boxing gloves.  It wasn’t because he was trying to stop my child from climbing the ladder to keep her safe, it was the way he spoke.

To maintain a modicum of sanity most parents do have this amazing ability to tune-out our children.  Most likely, there are times when our children are more out-of-control than we realize.  However,  if you are out and about and happen to get stuck next to a child that is being very disruptive while the parent calmly reads a book, even though you want to say something,  it’s probably best not to get involved, even if you simply want to ask that child to “Please stop.”