What would you have done?

[Helen]

We went to playgroup this morning for first time since half term break and in the last couple of weeks Charlotte is really off with her walking though she's obviously still a little wobbly.

This big boy came over and pinched a toy off her. I saw it happen and kinda shrugged it off, she's usually got a memory like a sieve and just moves onto the next toy when that happens (usually pinched from Tom). Anyway she wanted this toy so she set off chasing him across the floor and snatched it back off him. He took umbridge and with both hands flat on her chest shoved her flying. She banged her head on the wooden floor and was in floods.

Well...red mist.... I was across that floor soooo fast! Gave the boy a right ticking off whilst scooping Charlotte up. She was fine of course and within two seconds the red mist had gone. His Mum had come across and was adding to the telling off but by then I felt I should apologise because really I had gone too far. It wasn't my place to tell off her child.

She was absolutely lovely about it and said it was fine. Thank God cos she runs the group and that could've been us barred for life! LOL!

What do you think you would've done? The telling off? The apology? What if you'd been his Mum? Would you have wanted to give me a piece of your mind?

 

[Lauz_1601]

Its a tough one .....I would have done the same as you, seen red and had a go at the little boy, but on the other hand kids are kids and they are still learning and if Ella pushed a kid over I wouldnt be happy if the parent had a go at her as its my place to dispipline her, so I'd be a bit of a hypacrit lol think the best thing to do is say calmly ' now thats not very nice is it' or soemthnig along those lines, I know all to well what its like though when that red mist hits you hehe xxxxxxx

 

[Amanda]

You did absolutely the right thing Helen, and if it'd been Charlie that had done that, I'd have backed you all the way.

In my opinion, children have to learn that ALL adults are in a position of authority. And they have to learn the difference between right and wrong.

 

[Wobbles]

^ Agree with Amanda

Only time I would get funny is if person was proper laying into my baby, swore at her or tapped her in any way they might with their own children (like tap on hand).

 

[Elli21]

Personally, i would have told the boy off too...just with a "no, dont do that, thats not nice" type thing. And no i wouldnt have apolgised for it if the mum had come over and started to tell the boy off too. I would have said about what happened and told her thats why i was saying what i said to him.

If my daughter did something wrong like the boy did, i wouldnt have minded if you had said something along the lines of what i wrote above..but if you'd have raised your voice or said anything more aggressive, im sorry but id have said something to the person telling my kid off.(obviously not in front of the kids..as im very strict on "belittling"..i dont do it and wouldnt want it done to me.)

( I use the word "you" in a whoever type sense..not meaning you personally, iykwim? )

 

[Mamafy]

no you were totally right....are the bigger children allowed to mix with the younger kids then?

 

[Helen]

I think I said "No, No, NO. Don't do that, that's naughty" firmly and reasonably loudly.

I'm doing a bit of signing with the children so I also instictively did the sign for "no" which is a hand held up a bit like a police man stopping traffic. When mine are not listening to me I tend to do it quite close to their face so that they see and I did that to him. I guess if you didn't understand what that meant it could be seen as quite aggressive.

Mind you, he didn't cry till his Mum told him off so I couldn't have been that bad. He just looked a bit stunned.

Mamafy, it's just a local playgroup in a village hall so it's all age groups up to about 3 I guess.

 

[vicky]

I would of done the same hun,