Would it bother you if a perfect stranger tried to verbally discipline you children in the store?

No, not with the situation you described. Would it have been more acceptable for her to under step and just pass by as your older child beat the younger one.

Just to add, she didn't discipline the children, she pointed out that they shouldn't be doing that.

Once I saw a little one, probably three or so, getting into a janitors cart at the airport. Mom wasn't but a few feet away (actually, I wasn't sure where she was at the time) but when I saw her pick up a loosely capped bottle of cleaner (a few seconds after noticing her), I kindly told her no and took it away, and went on to buy a sandwich (mom had noticed by then).

No, it takes a village to raise a child. As long as it was justified then I think it is fine. I watched my kids in stores and listened so if anything happened I could deal with it straight away. But once I was in a cue at a register and this 3 year old kept kicking me. She was in a pusher so I tried to take a step up. The mother was so busy talking all she did was to push her child closer to me. I couldn't move any further so i tried to get the mums attention but she was so busy talking to her friend she either didn't hear me or tried to ignore me. This kid was old enough to know better and knew exactly what she was doing. So I looked her in the eye after the 5th kick and said "Please stop kicking me" Well suddenly the mother could hear again and started screaming at me that I was not to talk to her child like that (I spoke not yelled it at the brat...oops I mean precious little bundle)Then she screamed at me that she was only 2 (bull crap, no way was this child two) I told her that my kids by 2 knew better than to kick people and that she should teach her child.

Now if that was reversed and it was my child doing the kicking and someone stated it the same way to my child I personally would have apologised so much to the lady being kicked and made sure my child was told off.

Sometimes kids will listen to a stranger faster than the mother

I don't know if I would be hot over the situation or not but there is an instance in which I was grateful. My little guy was having a crying fit (he was maybe one at the time and I was pregnant w/number 2) and a complete stranger simply said,"Hi" to my guy, stunning him into silence. She said she learned that trick from an older lady when her kids were babies. The lady said hi to her screaming little one stunning her, and then passed the advice onto her. I have used it since, helping other mother's calm their children.

It was completely appropriate for that woman to discipline your children. It is your job to control your children (especially in public) and teach them not to fight. You were not doing this at the moment, it was becoming a nuisance to everyone nearby, so the woman had to step in and say something.

She didn't say anything mean or rude, she simply told them the truth - it's not ok to hit and it's not nice.

I understand that you feel offended, that's a normal reaction too. "those are MY kids, who is this random woman to interfere with my children?"

But... I'm not saying you're a bad parent, but at that moment you were not in control of your kids, and you should have been. Things like this can happen if you allow your kids to run wild. Next time, keep a closer eye on your kids so this won't happen.

and yeah I know it's impossible to stop them all the time... things like this are just part of being a parent. it's good that you realized the woman meant no harm though, you shouldn't feel anger towards her, and you shouldn't feel bad about the whole situation

Wouldn't bother me. Sounded like she might have got through to your 3 year old. My daughter threw her scooter down on the pavement in a temper tantrum that my son had won the race, it was right in the pathway of a German tourist. I was concerned that the woman might be upset, instead she winked at me and picked it up saying 'Are you giving this to me? Oh thank you' my 3 year old looked really shocked and shook her head. So she handed it back to my daughter and said 'Don't throw it away then, or someone might take it', The woman did me a favour.

When we send our kids to school, strangers discipline them. It is good for kids to learn that rules exist in wider society and they cannot always hide behind their parents when they are being little brats.

Your children were fighting. You did not respond and that woman just saw them hitting each other, and stepped in before someone got hurt. I think that she meant well and did not want your children to fight. If you had stepped in, I doubt that she would have. I understand where you are coming from though. Would it have been better to have let it go on and one of your kids get hurt?

Maybe your three year old was ashamed of herself? lol

The fact is, you turned your back and didn't stop the never ending sibling bickering.Someone stepped in.Whether it was warranted or not depends on the situation/parent involved.

Personally, I don't think she really overstepped (although it really does depend on her tone) if someone is completely rude about it then I would tell the person to step off.

Your kids are for you to take care of, when they fight, you are to tell them not to, not a stranger.

However, she did not over react by doing what she did, she simply told them they should not be hitting each other, which is true.

I understand your concern, about how your 3 year old cried, but that is just because she is 3...

I do think, though, that if your kids were older, and they were horsing around, and a stranger butted in, and told them to stop, it would be normal, because, they are older, and shouldn't mess around in a supermarket.

Hope This Helps.

Good Day To You.

I would be mortified that my kids were so out of control that a perfect stranger had to discipline them. She didn't overstep. You under stepped.

The only thing that I would be bothered about is that I didn't do it myself before it got out of hand and a stranger felt that they had to step in and correct my children for me.