It's not your place to discipline somebody else's child if their child is hitting yours while the parents sit on their hands? Please. This is one of those instances where it takes a village.

If you are visiting somebody and their child pulls this kind of thing without consequence, you leave. If they are visiting your house, you inform them of the rules of your house and tell them if they don't like it, they can leave.

We're having a problem with the grandkids of our next door neighbor. Everytime those kids are here and playing with mine, mine get hurt. So now I've started answering the door when they come asking for my kids to come out and play with honesty. "No, I'm sorry. My kids can't play with you because you hit and throw rocks. We don't hit or hurt our friends, and we aren't friends with others who do."

We'll see how long it takes for their parents to find their way over here to complain. But I'm so tired of the "speshul snowflake" parenting that treats the kid as though they're some precious bastion of perfection. Please. Boundaries, limits, and consequences people!

I'm with the first poster - I'd avoid those people in the future. The situation isn't likely to improve. I think a lot of the problems we see today are caused by the attitude that it's not anyone else's place to discipline a child who is not their own. By that, I mean to correct behavior and report to a child's parents about the misbehavior, not physical punishment. Treating one's child like a prince or princess does not help them in the long run, nor does it cultivate a lot of friends.

If the parents did not want to do anything about it
I would have absolutely jumped in and corrected the child as if she were my own. Yes, right in front of her parents. Something like "we DO NOT hit our friends little Susie. Please stop that right now." If she doesn't you then take your child and leave. You are your child's advocate and hitting should not be tolerated.

"No, I'm sorry. My kids can't play with you because you hit and throw rocks. We don't hit or hurt our friends, and we aren't friends with others who do." awesome.

I have a friend where it doesn't matter if I am at her house or mine I find myself having to discipline her children and mine. When they come over my house they know the rules. And when things get out of hand she knows that its time to leave. But even when I am over her house her kids do things that any parent would agree needs to be stopped. And so while she feel like she is afraid to spank her children or just fails to discipline on any level I find myself doing her job. She wonders why my son is so well behaved and I tell her the same thing all the time, Be consistent and Mean what you say. She fails to get it and won't even attempt to try and correct her sons behavior before he's in a correctional facility. Yet, she constantly complains that her kids are bad.

I agree it takes a village to raise a child. And if the parents you are friends with don't have the same values as you do when it come to raising children then just don't invite them over or go over their house for a play date. Just steer clear. Its too much trouble. While my friend is good company on occasions her and her children can be a living nightmare sometimes that I avoid her for a week or so afterward in order to bring my insanity back. Nothing urks me more than parents who don't do anything where their child behaves badly.

I absolutely DONT agree with the whole its not your place to discipline a child. If the child is hitting yours and the parents are doing NOTHING, then you have to step in and be your childs voice.

I ran into this a while back in a waiting room, my daughter was around 15 months then, and a little boy came up to her and started hitting her. The mother said in a lukewarm tone, oh no.. she isnt your brother to be hitting.. and left it at that, as he continued to hit her. I had to physcially move her away, and block her with my body as he continued to try to get at her. I told her i DIDNT want her son hitting my daughter, and she didnt answer. I told him, Hitting is NOT nice. THe front desk people just looked at us without comment. I had an urgent appointment that coudlnt be cancelled, so the leaving isnt an option. I had to just block her kid from mine, it was ridiculous.

oops hit post, didnt mean to, anyway, my point is that this kind of mentality where no one says or does anything ISNT working. Its time for change.

If your child is being harmed you put yourself in the way and protect them and if that includes physically detaching the bully and then saying something to the parent and removing yourself and your child from harm, than you do it. In order to teach your own child that you have his/hers best interest and how you shouldnt act, you must be the example and diffuse the situation. You can later say to the person who is the parent of the bully if you see them again, that you understand kids can be kids and fight, but that you arent going to tolerate any harm happening to your child in the future and would appreciate their cooperation.