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If parents refuse to correct their children who are doing something directly to you (making rude comments, throwing sand at the beach, touching something that belongs to you) then you are within your rights to say something to the children. But people are nuts so whenever you get into it with someone out in public you do so at your own risk.
There you have it. It the parents won't correct their own kids do so at your own risk.
Probably depends on the situation or at least, one type of situation we might be more likely to become involved in than another.
When I see people mistreating a wild animal, I will tell them to leave it alone. Between the way I dress and my prowess, they usually listen to me.....ie, take me as a Ranger.
As a parent, I would want someone to tell my children (the way you did) that their behavior was unacceptable. As their mother, I would have apologized for not noticing and demanded that they apologize to you too. I know that the reaction you got from that mother is all too common, but I fear that she is not instilling kindness and respect in her children.
This. My opinion is that I am happy for others to gently correct my kids, because we're all a village. This goes 1000x for parents of younger children. It really really annoys me when they are passive aggressive and refuse to just say "hey, big kid, please remember to be careful when you run past my toddler" or whatever. They are the adult who is right there, they need to speak up. If they refuse to actually open their mouths and tell a person they are uncomfortable with something, they deserve to be uncomfortable.
I have no real problem correcting children when they act inappropriately. Like others have said it takes a village. The other parents in my neighborhood also hold this philosophy and it makes us all feel safer. Our block is pretty much a safe zone for kids and all the parents keep an eye out for bad or dangerous behavior. When it happens, we fix the problem be it a skinned knee or someone being mean and then take the kid involved to their house to inform their parent of what happened. I have corrected kids and adults out in public when there actions adversely effected my family. Be it kids running into my family and not saying excuse me or people using overly crude language around my kids. It is all about being respectful when you approach them. I have had a couple parents get a little huffy when I have corrected their children, but I chalk that up to embarrassment for not keeping an eye on their kids.
Probably depends on the situation or at least, one type of situation we might be more likely to become involved in than another.
When I see people mistreating a wild animal, I will tell them to leave it alone. Between the way I dress and my prowess, they usually listen to me.....ie, take me as a Ranger.
Oh there is a time I can now remember doing it. When we used to go to the zoo a lot (lived close, kids were small) on several occasions I told random kids to stop harassing the animals. I never got a reaction from the parents that I can remember.
And as a mother of two little girls, I would hope someone would tell them to stop if they were being rude (of course I would be mortified of their behavior).
I've frequently stated, "This is not a good place to run" to random kids rampaging through various public places, oblivious to all others. I also make serious eye contact with the offenders when making this neutral observation, so they know they're intended to hear and understand it. Most kids get it and slow down: some even apologize.
Back in the day when I worked with children, I'd do the same, but would sometimes elaborate: running might endanger little children or older people, "and I'm sure you wouldn't want anybody to get hurt by accident". That focussed the attention on the behavior and made it clear I wasn't just being a grouch who didn't like for kids to have fun.
If I encountered rude kids as did the OP, I think I'd make that same serious eye contact and politely inquire, "What did you just say??", or "I beg your pardon?" in a voice likely to be overheard by the parent. The parent did the children no favor by not only defending their rudeness but by also insulting the OP. Those little apples did not drop far...
I'm with you OP. There was a time when I would have bitten my lip, but now I've reached the age where I feel I shouldn't have to accept bad behavior. And, honestly, I'm not so old. I've come to the conclusion that we do nobody any favors by staying silent. So, yes, speak up. Let the miscreants(and parents) squirm. It worked back when I was a kid, and if people weren't so worried about backlash, it could work again. I consider objecting to bad behavior a public service.
Rep point to you.
People -- adults and children -- will simply go on doing wrong if nobody calls them on it. So call them on it. And no, you don't scream at the kids or ignore or be disrespectful to their Mom or Dad. But you do let them know straightforwardly and politely that certain behavior is unacceptable. And as to the fear that Mom is crazy and packing heat? Puh-leeze. You have a better chance of being hit by a meteor than getting shot or beaten up for telling some miscreant kid's Mom that her child is out of line.
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