You’re in a nice restaurant for lunch, enjoying your blissful child-free life. Or maybe it’s a blissful child-free day. Either way, you’re not directly responsible for any children in the room at this moment. And some little kid is running around making their usual racket.
The parent is pretty frazzled, as they use their last reserves of energy to try and keep a lid on it. The kid races towards your table and kicks you in the leg. It’s a kid kick, more playful than violent, but it’s still something you’d rather do without.
“Nathan!” the embarrassed parent cries. “We don’t kick!” Looking up at you, they say “I’m so sorry”, and you reply with a smile and say “It’s fine”. You’re cool. You’re calm. You totally get how hard parenting is in this day and age. And hey, at least they’re not on an iPad, right? It’s OK.
The mum is doing the best she can. You’re not anti-kid! No way. Parents have to get out of the house, especially if they’re on their own. These things are so important. And who are you to interfere with someone else’s life, let alone their parenting? That’s sacred, right? It’s the great taboo. We can’t get involved with someone else’s kid.
Top Comments
For various reasons, I've always known that I wouldn't make a good father- I have no patience at all with children, so I'm best off not having them.
A couple of weeks back, leaving a local farmer's market, I had two ten or eleven year old boys following me, making heckling noises at me and running away within a few seconds. The second time I turned around- both were within six feet of me. I didn't say anything, but the hostile glare would have been enough of a message- leave me alone. I was tempted to say, 'if you were just a few years older, I'd be kicking your asses right now just out of principle.' The mother apparently saw the moment and called her sons back. I was not impressed by their manners.
I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to discipline my daughter, 6, while out at a cafe or restaurant. She's very used to it and behaves well. However on those occasions where I have had to speak to her (and one occasion where I took her home for having a tantrum) if a stranger had interfered then I would have sat them in the naughty corner too. It's not your place. You are not the child's parent and don't know their discipline strategy. Also, many children have a genuine fear, or go through a stage where they genuinely fear, strangers. You could actually do more harm than good and escalate the poor behaviour rather than rectify it. So please, keep your help to yourself. Or if you must, speak to the parent first and ask if they'd like your assistance.