At what point to intervene when parent mistreats child in public and what to do?
Earlier today I was at a store. I was in an aisle and heard some horrible and loud terrible screaming. I left where I was to see what was going on. There were already a number of people watching.
I don't think my description can fully describe how horrible it was. I'm not sure what had happened but it appeared a boy, who couldn't have been more than about 4, had lost a chain of his mother's that she was screaming was worth $150. She was shrieking at him to find it, that she wasn't joking. I've never seen a mother lose control this severely in public ever before. As her rant continued, the little boy finally ran away from her, sat down on the floor in an aisle, buried his face in his hands and was just crying and crying. I wanted to go up to him and comfort him. His mother then came up the aisle, grabbed him by the forearm and dragged him up and continued ranting. Someone then said something to her, that resulted in a bunch of swearing and her running her stroller over that person's foot.
She made her way out of the store never letting up on this little boy.
What to do in a situation like this? Who do you call? If anyone had been called, they wouldn't have gotten there before she left. Someone did try confronting her, to no avail. I wouldn't have been surprised if she physically attacked someone for confronting her and in comparison to her, I'm really small, so don't know if that would have helped in this situation.
There are so many people that would give anything to have a child (that was me for many years, until I was fortunate to have my daughter). I can't imagine anyone treating their child this way (and on mother's day too).
I generally feel it is not my place to comment on or criticize how someone takes care of their child, but this was different.
I can only imagine how she treats him at home if this was in public. I just feel terrible and can't get the picture of the little boy sitting on the floor crying out of my head.
I know I'm not alone in not knowing what to do as there were so many other people watching (with horrified looks on their face) and none of us knew what to do at the time when it really mattered.
What is the right thing to do in a situation like this?
I don't think my description can fully describe how horrible it was. I'm not sure what had happened but it appeared a boy, who couldn't have been more than about 4, had lost a chain of his mother's that she was screaming was worth $150. She was shrieking at him to find it, that she wasn't joking. I've never seen a mother lose control this severely in public ever before. As her rant continued, the little boy finally ran away from her, sat down on the floor in an aisle, buried his face in his hands and was just crying and crying. I wanted to go up to him and comfort him. His mother then came up the aisle, grabbed him by the forearm and dragged him up and continued ranting. Someone then said something to her, that resulted in a bunch of swearing and her running her stroller over that person's foot.
She made her way out of the store never letting up on this little boy.
What to do in a situation like this? Who do you call? If anyone had been called, they wouldn't have gotten there before she left. Someone did try confronting her, to no avail. I wouldn't have been surprised if she physically attacked someone for confronting her and in comparison to her, I'm really small, so don't know if that would have helped in this situation.
There are so many people that would give anything to have a child (that was me for many years, until I was fortunate to have my daughter). I can't imagine anyone treating their child this way (and on mother's day too).
I generally feel it is not my place to comment on or criticize how someone takes care of their child, but this was different.
I can only imagine how she treats him at home if this was in public. I just feel terrible and can't get the picture of the little boy sitting on the floor crying out of my head.
I know I'm not alone in not knowing what to do as there were so many other people watching (with horrified looks on their face) and none of us knew what to do at the time when it really mattered.
What is the right thing to do in a situation like this?
When your mind says give up, hope whispers "one more try"
Never say never
Never say never
