Interesting Topic: When do you intervene?

happ17

I read an article the other day about Live Tyler and her son, while in their neighborhood, saw a woman spanking a toddler who was buckled in a stroller. Apparently, she stepped in and confronted the woman and yelled at her to stop. Which prompted a blog post asking readers: /when do you intervene when someone is ?disciplining? in public?

I have to admit, I have a pretty big mouth, and when it?s excessively physical, or verbally abusive, I can?t help but say something. Probably not the smartest thing to do on the subway (moms that pinch and smack their kids in the face) or in line at the grocery store, but frankly, I don?t care.

Do you intervene? Say something directly?

JOEBunny

I have never seen a person do something to a child that makes me want to intervene.  I would like to think that if the person was physically abusing a child I would, but not in the case of spanking a child.  I think that is fine and if people want to do it, go ahead. 

I certainly would not take parenting advice from someone who spends very little time with their actual child, like Liv Tyler.  I am much more likely to take advice from someone who is with their child 24/7.  It is easy to pass judgement on what people do when you only spend an hour or two a day with them. 

Andrewsgal

JOEBunny:

I have never seen a person do something to a child that makes me want to intervene.  I would like to think that if the person was physically abusing a child I would, but not in the case of spanking a child.  I think that is fine and if people want to do it, go ahead. 

I certainly would not take parenting advice from someone who spends very little time with their actual child, like Liv Tyler.  I am much more likely to take advice from someone who is with their child 24/7.  It is easy to pass judgement on what people do when you only spend an hour or two a day with them. 

I could not have said it better myself.

The only time I truly intervene with someone elses kids is when my kids safety is at risk. For example at the mall play place another child hit mine several times. I actually did say something to that mother. Other than that I stay out of it.

DandR

JOEBunny:

I have never seen a person do something to a child that makes me want to intervene.  I would like to think that if the person was physically abusing a child I would, but not in the case of spanking a child.  I think that is fine and if people want to do it, go ahead. 

I certainly would not take parenting advice from someone who spends very little time with their actual child, like Liv Tyler.  I am much more likely to take advice from someone who is with their child 24/7.  It is easy to pass judgement on what people do when you only spend an hour or two a day with them. 

ditto this.  I've seen parenting that I've judged...I wouldn't drag my kids out in their pajamas to buy beer and cigarettes.....I wouldn't let my kid hit me in public and not say anything about it..etc....but none that was intervention worthy.  Unless you count pushing a cart of groceries out for a mom who's child was having a temper tantrum...so she could carry the screaming child. 

And honestly, if I saw abuse in public, I'd probably be calling the cops first.

happ17

Joe: The Liv Tyler thing was mentioned only because it spurred the blog post. I don't know what she does with her kid (though I thought she quit to stay home with him?) I don't know, I don't follow celebrity media.

I guess I've just seen a lot of it recently. One woman standing next to me on the subway backhand slapped her 3 or 4 yo on his face/mouth like 3 times between 2 stops because he was fidgeting. Another woman yanked her young DD's braid back so hard I thought she snapped her neck when she thought her DD had kicked my leg (she just touched it by accident when she shifted in her seat). Those are things I can't ignore.

gracendantho26

I witnessed a woman repeatedly slapping her child while the child was restrained in their carseat in a minivan a few years ago. First I asked her to stop and she told me to eff off, then I wrote down her license plate number (it's kind of scary but she wrote mine down too), then I called the police. I still hate that she got my LPN...still freaks me out. The police did an investigation and now they have records of her being abusive...even if nothing could be done at that moment with me as a witness. At least she knows people are watching and her violence was reported. At this point in my life I am not okay with any violence at all...the more horrible things I see in the news the more sure I am of my decision. It's never okay to hurt your child (or an adult) and if I see you do it I'll probably say something.