Man smacks someones child in a store for crying

[Ksandra]

Bad parents? Nah. Bad people? Yup. It doesn't matter if your kid has assburgers, bipolar disorder, allergy to waffles, cancer, and AIDS. You shouldn't be taking them to restaurants, stores, etc if you know they're going to be a major distraction. Quit spreading the misery.

so the kid doesn't have the right to experience normal things just because his syndrome makes him the way he is?

not right at all imo. seriously not that serious if a kid acts out a little.

[Gregorio]

so the kid doesn't have the right to experience normal things just because his syndrome makes him the way he is?

not right at all imo. seriously not that serious if a kid acts out a little.

Depends on what you consider acting out a little. Does his acting out ruin the experience of 20 people around him/her? Will that child be throwing a tantrum for an hour while sitting next to me? If you were on the opposite side of a restaurant, would you switch seats with me if I had to deal with that annoying child?

I know that if I owned a business, I'd ask any parent to take their annoying/crying child outside if it was pissing off my customers and I wouldn't feel bad about it regardless of the syndrome the child has.

[Warudo Ecksu]

A lot of these kids don't have tantrums on a regular basis so it's not like the parent can predict how their child is going to behave that particular day. Also, I don't know about other states, but in California funding was cut for special needs child care, so some parents don't have a choice but to take their child with them to the grocery store. And in all seriousness, who really cares if you're annoyed by a screaming child for 10-15 minutes. Those people live with that 24/7, and they don't enjoy it any more than you do.

If you mess with an autistic child having a tantrum you're likely to get hurt or make it worse so the majority of the time it's better to just wait it out instead of trying to touch the kid, so don't assume the parent should just pick up the child and carry them out.

[Galaika]

Simple solution, ask the parent if their kid has learning dificulties before asking them to take it outside because it's bothering everyone else.

[archibaldcrane]

Just politely say "ma'am - is your child retarded or otherwise mentally handicapped? I ask this only because I don't want to offend you if this behavior is due to your child's obvious mental disorder, since the kid is clearly fucking retarded. Anyway, since your kid is like sub-Lenny-from-mice-and-men fucked in the head, I'll leave you alone to deal with your half-wit spawn as you see fit. Just wanted to make sure I was reading the situation properly - I didn't want to offend you."

[Shojin]

Likewise if I'm travelling on a plane for 10 hours I'd fully expect you (parents) to respect passengers and not bring their child who can and will scream and cry at any given time uncontrollably.

Not bring their child? What the hell do you expect them to do if say, they are migrating to another country and just so happen to be on your flight? Or family vacation for 2 weeks and they don't have anyone to leave them with? Shit happens sometimes.

All children cry, some throw tantrums more than others. Sure it is annoying as fuck, I've been there, saying to yourself you'd wish the spoiled little brat would shut up. If you're going on a 10 hour flight, bring an MP3 player to drown out the noise or just deal with it.

As for the article, if some guy did this to my kid I'd deck the fuck.

[archibaldcrane]

I simultaneously think that parents are overprotective of their kids, and people who bitch about other people's kids need to cry moar.

Is that an acceptable position?

[Kerberoz]

Simple solution, ask the parent if their kid has learning dificulties before asking them to take it outside because it's bothering everyone else.

Then you get the ignorant assholes with perfectly healthy spoiled brats making a scene because you insinuated that their little angel was disabled.

It really doesn't matter why the kid's making a scene. If it's ruining the dining experience of everyone else, they should be removed from the restaurant. Politely explain that it's unfair to the other diners and offer them a discount on a take-out meal to gtfo.

Planes... give the fucker Valium?

[Shojin]

I simultaneously think that parents are overprotective of their kids, and people who bitch about other people's kids need to cry moar.

Is that an acceptable position?

Pretty much.

[Mistress Stowastiq]

Certain people should not be allowed to raise anything let alone a kid. I think both stories on the first two posts are pretty bad but the man hitting some one else's kid seems worse to me.

Some parents have a gross misunderstanding of their license to mold and shape their kids, taking it into abusive measures but to scold another's child who you do not have authority over in any way..

People who have no business being parents, just assume that since they got pregnant, that they should raise a child, even if they suck at it and do not know how to do it or don't want to in any way. Most of the peers and social constructs encourage this, even when a person has no business doing it. By the child's birth they convince themselves that they like it and eventually end up taking their hatred for it out on their kids.

Like in the case of Mr make my kids observe gang colors, he should know enough to get clean and himself out of the gang, focusing on raising his kids where he does not have to worry about them getting slaughtered by peers for wearing opposing colors. He should go to the local, county free parenting counseling classes and learn how to properly raise his kids. No business being a parent.

He probably wont go get help until it is part of his parole requirements though.

Sometimes choosing not to raise a child is the most responsible thing to do.

They both should stay out of wall-mart at all times though.
Wall-mart = bored and screaming kids and miserable parents screaming at them to stfu.

-arg I hate news. Going to go look at shinys.

[The Stig]

Not bring their child? What the hell do you expect them to do if say, they are migrating to another country and just so happen to be on your flight? Or family vacation for 2 weeks and they don't have anyone to leave them with? Shit happens sometimes.

All children cry, some throw tantrums more than others. Sure it is annoying as fuck, I've been there, saying to yourself you'd wish the spoiled little brat would shut up. If you're going on a 10 hour flight, bring an MP3 player to drown out the noise or just deal with it.

As for the article, if some guy did this to my kid I'd deck the fuck.

Only targetting the parents that seem to have absolute no control over their kid and then act like they don't hear or see them. Normally rough(er) parents (read: teen/old/pikey/chav) or ones that seem like their kids were accidental.

[Shojin]

Like in the case of Mr make my kids observe gang colors, he should know enough to get clean and himself out of the gang, focusing on raising his kids where he does not have to worry about them getting slaughtered by peers for wearing opposing colors. He should go to the local, county free parenting counseling classes and learn how to properly raise his kids. No business being a parent.

Slightly off-topic and not defending the guy for his actions, but have you ever been in a gang? Leaving it is easier said than done, not to mention this guy was a bloods gang member. Although I'm not sure if he is beating his kid because he is offended by the color of the shirt, or because he knows that wearing rival gang color shirts in the wrong areas of the neighborhood will get you killed, article doesn't really specify.

[Shojin]

Only targetting the parents that seem to have absolute no control over their kid and then act like they don't hear or see them. Normally rough(er) parents (read: teen/old/pikey/chav) or ones that seem like their kids were accidental.

Understandable.

Also, I'm not sure on the laws in both the UK and the US, but is it illegal to spank your child in public? Obviously not bruising their face spanking, but more like slap on the wrist, or the butt? I know it is 'looked down upon', but never was really sure if it was actually illegal.

[Cesaria]

I'm lucky - the local supermarket is right near a number of schools I teach at - generally I know enough of the kids that I can glare at them if they're acting up and pissing people off and they'll knock it on the head.

I do get really fucking angry when I pay a fucktonne of money to go watch the football (yes that's soccer for you americans who can't name the sport properly) and get some kid behind me kicking me in the back for 2 fucking hours and if you even turn around to see WHAT'S kicking you in the back you get sworn at by two chav parents who couldn't give a shit. Same when I go out for a meal and people let their fucking kids run around between tables where people are carrying hot plates and stuff - I've got fuck all tolerance for people who won't take responsibility for their kids these days - you popped them out - you bloody well pull your finger out and bring them up and quit fobbing it off onto everyone else and by the way - Nickleodeon is not a good substitute for talking to your fucking children (you'd be amazed how many kids start school in some areas speaking in American accents or with no speech at all because no one's bothered to talk to them and just jammed them in front of the telly all day every day).

[Ghost_Wheel22]

I'm pretty sure I've spent more time having my dad's belt get wrapped around my ass longer than him wearing it and I deserved every second of it. It's a rich tradition I'm bestowing upon my kids should they prove worthy but to even think of slapping the piss out of someone's child over petty shit like that in crosses too many lines and boundaries for me to even consider.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Oh bother.

[Shalyn]

I don't think it's right to hit another person's child in this situation, but in other situations I can see myself taking the other side. When a child is abusive to a stranger, and the parents are clearly lacking in ... being parents, I don't know if I would be too angry about a guy giving them a whack to scare them from being like that to other strangers.

On the other topic of travelling nightmare kids, I had to sit in a bus from Toronto to NYC for over 10 hours, and for the first 6, the kids were jumping around, whining, kicking chairs, bothering people, going up and down the aisle, flipping out, putting their heads between chairs and looking at people up close, and randomly crying, while the mother and grandmother mostly ignored it and gave sugary drinks to get them to quiet down. Good job. I don't care what your situation is. If your kids act like that and you can't control them then you don't get to travel with other people until they can.

I'm not sure what's going on here, though. I never acted that way when I was little, I was too scared to act up because my parents had already set a boundary and I wasn't going to cross it. Kids don't understand threats as much as they do a good whack on the butt, in my opinion. They usually act up because they are looking to see how far they can go, and today they must sense that their parents are too scared to discipline them in public because of the looks, and possibly house calls that they'll get.

I'm no parent, so I can't say what the fix is, but (and I feel like an old lady saying this), in MY day, when you acted up, a can of whoopass was handed to ya, but kids these days just run amok while their scaredy parents sit there all apathetic-like, dontchaknow?

[Ivve]

In the battle of kids vs. old people, I'm totally going with old people.

[Eaglestrike]

"slight redness" after 4-5 slaps sounds like he used practically no force at all, I doubt the kid is hurt any bit. I think kids should get hit more, granted it should be by their parents and not others, but when my parents threatened to hit me I sure as hell shut the fuck up as a kid.

[izembo]

local story for me, ive even been to that walmart a few years ago, and honestly im not really that surprised. i think its absurd that someone would do this to someone elses kid though, just go somewhere else in the store, its f'in huge