Community parenting- what authority do/should we have over others' children?

Today I watched as a boy was continuously throwing a large stick VERY near a number of toddlers and dogs, getting several parents (and the dogs) fairly agitated while his mother yawned casually on her cell phone.





My husband and I were raised to accept most adults as authority figures (the words, ';I don't have to, you're not my mom'; were not in our vocabulary!) but anymore, we would be afraid of being ostracized or sued if we were to take the stick from the child and explain the danger of his actions to him. I hate to think of my daughter watching others getting away with the trouble they cause because I'm afraid to take action.





As parents, do we have an obligation to protect our own kids by saying something to the child; to the parents? Do we have the right to take the stick (or other offending implement) away? To detain the child until a parent can be found? Is it simply most appropriate to remove our own children from the scene? Do we undermine our own authority by keeping quiet?Community parenting- what authority do/should we have over others' children?
I totally understand what you are saying. Some parents find everything their kids do ';cute'; and that ignoring is the best way not to ';encourage indiscipline';.


If I were in your place, I would have definately in my nicest, strictest voice asked the mom to get off her phone and take her child aside to explain what is going on.


If the parent was not around, I would surely discipline that kid too with stern voice. I would call 911 and get them to come stay with this kid until the parent is found.


Also to all the parents who think play park is a place where they let their kids be free and do whatever they want so that they can chat with their friends, please understand that some kids come there to conquer their fear of heights, scary slides and are just really small kids so please be always responsible when they push and harm smaller kids.


This is the stepping stone of how your kids are going to act in school and other social places really.Community parenting- what authority do/should we have over others' children?
it is very difficult to tell others child, but yet you should have told her mother standing there to check with her child.. i always do that, if there is something which i feel should be corrected i do tell the childs mom... and than she trys to stop them..
The first thing you do is talk to the parent. I am a ';mama bear'; and don't like for other adults (strangers) to discipline my children, especially if I am there and ';missing'; something. However, if I am not there and my child is in danger or posing a threat to others, most definitely do some ';parenting';. Make sure NOT to put your hands on the child though! Also, not a good idea to be aggressive with the child.
I know exactly what you mean. I'm only 17 and I think a lot of parents these days are way too afriad to disipline thier own kids. Sometimes it takes a villiage. Maybe if you just ask the kid to stop throwing the stick, and not take it away from him. The mom cant sue you for protecting your own kids.
i do say something even if the parent does not like it. i go sweety don't do that you can hurt someone. Or please put that down. if he does not listen i take my kid and leave because trying to confront the parent is a bad thing to do in my opinoion.
you don't have any authority over other peoples kids.
Good question. I have to say though that it depends on the situation. I once kept a child from running into the street when his mother was preoccupied. She got very nasty with me and didn't appreciate that I kept her child out of traffic. Then a few weeks later at a local soccer game I heard tires squealing on the highway and looked up and her kid was running in the street! She had given me a dirty look just minutes before. Talk about sweet vindication. BTW the kid was fine and didn't get hit by a car.