A Six-Year-Old Child Hitting an Adult Stranger (teenager, games, parents)
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I am a single father raising a teenage daughter. Until we moved last year, she and I lived in a small (six blocks x six blocks) neighborhood that might be described as "ghetto". We were one of very few white residents in the area.
One Sunday afternoon, I was walking home from the grocery store. There was a crowd of kids on one of the corners I passed, boys and girls, ranging in age from four to about 12. This was normal, especially in nice weather, so I didn't give them a second look.
A little boy, who was maybe six at the oldest, ran after me as I walked up the alley toward my back yard. He came up alongside me, giggling, and hit me on the arm with his fist, and ran away laughing. It didn't hurt, of course, but I do not understand what type of thinking, upbringing, peer pressure, or lack thereof would cause something like this to happen.
I'm not talking about the "respect for your elders" mantra we hear from the moment we can walk. I am more baffled by the utter lack of respect for another person. I taught my daughter you don't hit anyone, bigger, smaller, same gender, opposite gender. If they're minding their own business, hands off.
Several friends told me it was a pity I was not carrying a taser, pepper spray, or mace. ("That little thug wannabe needs to be taught a lesson, or else by the time he is 10 he'll be raping and killing people," one Facebook friend told me.) I wouldn't have used these--it would have taught that escalating violence is acceptable. I ignored the kid, but I'm not sure what I would/should have done.
I have a 7 year old. The first thing I thought while reading your post was that the kid was "dared" to do it. That was why he was giggling when he ran away.
I don't know what I would have done in your situation, but to me it just sounds like some kids were daring each other to do things. You happened to be walking by when it happened.
It's a lack of respect and an access of boldness thats inflicted that child.
At 6, I never dared to hit ANY stranger I didn't know. Older child, teenager, adult, anyone. Because I don't know what they would do.
On top of that, you could have been a maniac and went into a fit and hurt him for something like that( not saying you are)
It's a lack of respect for human beings.
This ^^^ coupled with a complete and utter lack of common sense in not only that child, but also in the children who dared him to do it!!!!!! The "what if factor", that is completely absent in so many people, just freaks the shyt out of me. Seriously.....OMG.....WHAT IF!? Really.....is it that hard for some people to comprehend?
Clearly, some people have it and some people don't. Even as a kid, I had a high functioning "what if" factor. What if you smart mouthed an older/bigger person and they smacked you down? What if you walked up and hit someone and they went nuts on you? What if you didn't do your homework and got your butt whipped, got held back in school, got grounded? What if you ran out in front of a car and got killed? What if you stole something and got in trouble with the law? What if?
Clearly, some people have it and some people don't. Even as a kid, I had a high functioning "what if" factor. What if you smart mouthed an older/bigger person and they smacked you down? What if you walked up and hit someone and they went nuts on you? What if you didn't do your homework and got your butt whipped, got held back in school, got grounded? What if you ran out in front of a car and got killed? What if you stole something and got in trouble with the law? What if?
I had that.
Mine had special fine tuning: What if my parents found out?
Mine had special fine tuning: What if my parents found out?
Ruh roh.
Hahaha... after I submitted my post, I thought about that one, too!! Dew, that was one of the BIGGEST "what ifs" of all. With every one of those thoughts, "and.....what if mom & dad find out" came to mind. I could have handled many of the other consequences, but the mom & dad situation? Yeah.....
Ruh roh! Dear gawd.....just stressing over "what if mom & dad found out", was enough for me to put the skids on bad behavior!!!!! Nothing that anyone else might or could do, could EVER be as bad as what mom & dad could "possibly" do!
@malamute--Yes, it makes you wonder, doesn't it? You know, pondering this question, something came to mind. I had some older "cousins" (really a niece & nephew who were older than me), who were always "daring" us younger kids to do stupid things. Knowing that my parents would literally have paddled our a$$es and humiliated us in FRONT of everyone and anyone, should we accept one of those dares, was plenty of incentive to take being called a chicken shyt, with a grain of salt! We'd much rather be called a chicken than be humiliated in front of everyone....
Husband and I went to company celebration at a local food/game place. Everyone was given 50 free game tickets. About 300 employees at our site.
Most of my coworkers brought their children (free arcade games kiddies!). We grabbed a table, and gradually coworkers (with their children) sat with us.
One of coworkers and his boys sat next to my husband. As my husband got up to walk past (to get food from buffet). Little boy (age 6-ish) punches my husband.
Not "hits". Punches. Parents didn't see it (nor did I). Husband looks at kid, ignores, goes to buffet.
On way back from buffet, boy punches husband again (by the way, my husband is tall, the little boy is short, and he was aiming for an area that you should not hit a man in). Husband again ignores, but LOOKS at little boy. I saw it, coworker saw it.
Little boy smirked. Coworker said little boys name sharply and "made him apologize". Little boy apologized insincerely ... and then had a nice night of playing video games for 3 hours.
Those children (of a lovely high middle income family, living in a nice neighborhood, with two professional well educated parents) are going to be nightmares as they get older.
The word "no" works miracles when dared to do something.
Yes, but a 6 year old is sooo easily influenced if he/she is running with a bad crowd...it's not really the childs fault, more a lack of parental guidance...this child is obviously in the care of older children that probably thought it was funny to have the child strike a stranger...sad...but the parents turning a blind eye to what their children do when they're not with them is the real reason this "disrespect" goes on...
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It didn't hurt, of course, but I do not understand what type of thinking, upbringing, peer pressure, or lack thereof would cause something like this to happen.
The "what if factor", that is completely absent in so many people, just freaks the shyt out of me. Seriously.....OMG.....WHAT IF!? Really.....is it that hard for some people to comprehend? 
