Annieth
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Especially if your child is a target of injustice, it can be difficult to stand by and do nothing. A mother posted on Reddit’s “Am I the a**hole?” forum that she is “probably one of those super-protective parents,” but she couldn’t stand by and let a boy “bother” her son.
She said she’s fine with other kids playing with her son ‘as long as they’re being nice,’ but she had to step in when she saw a young child (around four years old) grab a ball from her son and throw it so he had to either go after it or leave it.
She gushed, “I take my 17-month-old to soft play once a week. I’m sure I come across as overprotective, but he’s my first and only child at the moment.
I go wherever he goes to keep an eye on him and have fun with him. I don’t mind when nicer older kids approach him to play, and there are many who do.
Another infant was present in the nursery the last time we visited. He was probably 4 at the time. My little guy was holding two tiny balls. The youngster approached him, grabbed one from his hand, and tossed it. If he had tried to take a second, I would have stopped him but I kept my mouth shut.
I returned the ball to my son. The kid tried again after a while, but this time I was able to block his hand and say something to him. It’s impolite to steal from other people, so either plays nice or leave him alone. He left, shaken.
His mother overheard us and asked what was said, so I filled her in. To add insult to injury, I told you to impress upon your son the idea that it is impolite to take something that does not belong to him.
“She warned me that I shouldn’t have any contact with her son. After telling him that my son isn’t his age group’s playmate and that he had no business being in the play area, I stopped talking to him. She promptly packed up her baby and fled the scene.
Everyone else’s kids always play nice, so this was the first time I’ve ever had to scold one. Some of the children who come here don’t know how to play nicely, but thankfully their parents teach them quickly.
I should clarify that I never raised my voice. It was just a natural tone of voice on my part. Is it me, or am I the jerk?
Some defended the mother, arguing that it was not her responsibility to discipline her child, but that it was for the best that she did so in the absence of anyone else.
Someone questioned what could be done if a parent witnessed their child stealing from others but did nothing to stop it.
“I agree,” a third person scoffed. If he doesn’t learn right from wrong, “the kid is going to grow up to be very self-centered,” as the saying goes.
Someone else chimed in, saying, “It’s fine that she corrected the other kid but she was being an a**hole when the other mother inquired what was going on and her first words were ‘teach your son not to snatch from others.'”
Right off the bat, you’re labeling the other mom a bad parent, which is extremely hostile. Why couldn’t she have just said, “Your son stole a ball from my toddler, and I was trying to teach him a lesson in sportsmanship?” Would have cost her nothing and gained her the support of the other mother.
Amazon for Kids – Endless fun for kids. Peace of mind for parents.
Check it out on Amazon – https://amzn.to/3ldEwmR
What did you think? What would you have done in this situation?
Leave your comments down below.
