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I was at the grocery store tonight standing in a line so long it winded back into the cereal aisle. I kept hearing a noise behind me and turned to see a kid, about 9 yrs old or so, using the cereal boxes and bags for punching bags. Literally, walking down the cereal aisle turning it into cereal dust.
It annoyed me, especially since I buy my cereal there, so I told the kid to stop it and figured he'd run off somewhere. He did, to the guy right behind me who evidently was his dad. The dad didn't say anything, actually looked worn to a frazzle, possibly from being that kids' father. Anyway, it made me wonder since I don't have any kids. If that was your kid, would it tick you off for someone to correct him like that? I wouldn't have done it, but I waited for a minute and nobody parental seemed to step up.
I'm just curious as to the current social protocol.

I'm a father. That wouldn't bother me a bit. Thanks for stepping up.

He should have been embarassed that a stranger had to make his kid behave instead of taking care of it himself.

Well I'm sure we all remember my stance on having to parent others kids. I have no problem with it. Especially if their own parents aren't going to do it. I'd be embarrassed if my kid was acting like that in a store and especially so if someone else had to tell him to stop.

What the other people said. Sometimes I'm tired enough that I let stuff slide because it's just easier to ignore than deal with it (but that's usually at home, not in public). But then I'd totally be embarrassed that someone else felt the need to reign in my kid no matter how much it needed to be done. As far as the kid goes, I'm sure he'll remember it and I would like to think it will affect him for the better. I swear, I remember each and every time an adult that wasn't my parent reprimanded me for something.

I think as long as you don't make physical contact with him at all then you're ok. I personally would just try to ignore it or at most give the parent a look. If he was literally damaging products I might tell an employee instead.

If I were the father, I'd be embarrassed, and apologetic about putting a stranger in that position to have to discipline my child. So no, I wouldn't mind at all. I've had to tell neighbors' children to get out of the street when cars were near--I'd feel badly if I didn't speak up.

The kid may have had certain kinds of problems that may make discipline difficult, to tell the truth.

I would have roundhouse kicked the kid in the face then tongue kissed the guys wife for 10.00 seconds.

But that's just me.

12veinte12 wrote:If that was your kid, would it tick you off for someone to correct him like that?

If that was my kid, I'd be ticked off at myself.

I get angry when my roommate yells at my dog. Mostly because I place my dog at a higher level than my roommates, so if anything my dog should be diciplining my roommate.