parents and discipline

[Hoolahoney]

Just out of curiousity I thought it would be interesting to hear others views on this as I don't have children and am pretty hardline with rules in my house with families children etc.

To be crystal clear I am not talking about discipline with children in our settings!!

just family children or your own etc. Have never been a fan of smacking personally and would agree that the woman in boots was wrong to smack the girl but would just a telling off from the boots lady have been ok or do you take offence to other people disciplining your child?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2303632/Shona-Sibary-If-stranger-smacked-child-naughty-Id-thank-As-mother-protests-Boots-assistant-slapping-daughter-provocative-response.html

[Rea]

Oh tricky!

 

I was smacked on the head by the bus driver when I was in junior school, I was hit with a book by the stand in French teacher when I was 14 and each time I felt scared my mom would find out and I'd be in trouble.

 

Mine have been told off by relative strangers on occasion and while I felt rather indignant, I could also see that they were being horrible brats and needed telling. One of mine was smacked by my mom when they were little but he had just told her to 'shut up old witch'.

 

I have told off other children in my house, but usually they were staying overnight and anyone jumping on my settee or beds will be in trouble, mine werent allowed to do it and I wont let anyone elses. Its your house and you have the right to have people of whatever age behave how you wish.

At my age I can get away with having a few words in the supermarket. I've also told children off outside my house for various things, but their parents werent there.

 

Smacking though is different. I smacked mine so I'm not against smacking in general, it was that or smother them one night! but smacking would only come at the end of various warnings and sanctions and I've never been in that position with other peoples. The woman in the article should have told the parent to stop the child misbehaving and risked the friendship that way.

 

An old friend of mine had a daughter who wined and moaned and nagged constantly. When she asked me if she could sleepover I said yes but not tonight, you've got school tomorrow. Well, an hour later I was still saying no and she was fake crying and moaning and asking and clinging to her mom one minute and shaking her the next. My friends face was a picture of loathing that I was denying her precious child. We stayed friends for many more years but her daughter didnt ask me more than once for anything again.

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

I would take offence if a stranger told my children off in my presence and if they smacked them I would be furious however I would not have any problems with family members telling them off as indeed my sister does on a regular basis. My two youngest boys are rather boisterous and both are autisitic and fail to read warning signs that they are going to far and sometimes and I rather welcome her 'interfering' as I get sick of hearing my own voice. None of my family would smack my children.

 

I would have no qualms telling other children off in my home if their parents were not present and indeed I would also interfere when out and about. I was the lady at the showing of GI Joe at the cinema last week who told a group of teenagers to shut up and modify their language or I would have them chucked out - my children were the ones cringing in their seats. I have also told youths off for throwing litter on the floor and making them pick it up. My eldest son says I'm asking for trouble but I think it is being a good citizen. It is something that comes with age and with working with children for years.

[Beau]

In my own home, with children I 'know', I wouldn't hesitate to tell someone else's child off if the parent sat back and did nothing. I would never smack someone else's child though.

Out and about I wouldn't discipline a child. It may be that the child is naughty and the parents too lenient, or it may be that the child is autistic for instance. You can't tell just by looking and assuming without knowing could be highly distressing to that child and parent.