I was at the park the other afternoon with my kids. They were on their bikes, following each other around, laughing and having fun. It was perfect. The sun was shining, the weather was finally nice, and we got to enjoy a little bit of the outdoors after a long day of work and school.
I watched as the other boy started riding towards my kids. I watched him attempt to chase them all the while being told to stop by my oldest.
I heard as my almost 6 year old ride up to me and say “mommy, this boy won’t stop chasing me”. And my response was, “not to worry Z, I”m here and he won’t bother you on my watch”.
After watching it happen for the third time, I gave up. I had to do something. I walked over to this boy, no older than my son, and said to him, “he asked you to stop”. He looked up at me and rode away.
I looked around at the people near by. This boy had no parents at the park and was chaperoned by his nanny. There was no one watching him, seeing what he was doing. Seeing that he was bothering my son. But I let it go as he seemed to have heard me, and left Z alone.
Only a short time later, the kid decided to bother T. Thats right. Bother my 2.5 year old who’s on a tricycle. He started riding up close behind him. And when T stopped, he stopped with him, and started talking in his face. I couldn’t hear him. But he was IN HIS FACE. It was then, T started to cry..and cry and cry. I ran up to him and the boy and looked around. NO ONE was doing anything. I turned to him and said, “HE’S 2.5 YEARS OLD, LEAVE HIM ALONE”. (I promise thats just caps, I didn’t yell…though I wish I could have).
I took my kids and left the park.
I looked back at the spot we were in. The nanny had gone up to him and was confronting him. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but I could tell she knew he had done something wrong. And what happened after that, I’ll never know.
Z said on the bike ride home he didn’t like that kid. Said he was being very mean to him and his brother. I agree.
How do you know when its right or wrong to discipline a kid that isn’t yours? I felt I had no choice but to talk to this kid. He was hurting the feelings of my boys, he made a 2 year old cry! I couldn’t let it go. Was I wrong?
What would you have done?
