I totally understand a kid having an emotional breakdown in public, or having little emotional control (as developmentally age appropriate) but damaging property is totally unacceptable. I've been reading that a lot of makeup stores like Sephora have been having a major problem with this.

It's because of parents like this they really should start making people take a test and get a license to have kids so they don't continue reproducing stupid generations

omg, I remember many MANY years ago, my friend group went bowling. a family next to us wasn't watching their toddler, and I saw her sticking her tiny little hands in the ball return. I gently took her by the hand and led her back to her family, and jokingly said "excuse me, is this yours?" and they absolutely flipped, accused me of calling her a THING, an OBJECT, that I basically didn't treat her human. they called over the worker to b***h about me, claimed I was drunk and disruptive (but she knew that we had just arrived and I was still only on my first drink, which she had just served me) and she asked them to leave. she apologized to me but I assured her she wasn't at fault and we all had a blast bowling after they left.

You discipline your kids because if you don't, someone else will do it and in a way you probably won't like.

Lipstick testers. I thought everyone knew that you're supposed to test the color of the lipstick against your skin tone by applying a small amount onto the back of your hand -- not to actually use it on your lips.

Perfect response by this wise woman. I do dislike some comments. “Crotch Goblin!” I dislike hateful speech in any case (this woman is such a miserable parent, that normal English should do just fine!) but this especially misses the mark. Children who are not properly being disciplined are being neglected/abused because it will be much harder for them to become healthy human beings. If you want to use a nasty word, find one for the mother.

em should count herself and her kids damn lucky that all ops mom did was get a few security guards, if she tried that "why dont YOU deal with them" c**p a lot of other people would be like "alright" and then slap the brats

We took our two boys to a photography exhibition. One of my favourite photographers. We paid, walked in. Got a whole lot of "ah, children, yuck, stay away" looks. I had said to my kids that we are going to look at this exhibition, explained why and had asked them to ,please be quiet and not run around. Half way around my kids were looking at one print and I asked them why, they said they liked the shadows, and wasthat the moon over the hill. I said yes. We finished going around and were off to look at an interactive set of displays, when one of the angry/anti children people came up and said, 'that if other children were as respectful and interested as mine, she would be happy to wander around exhibitions with them . I took that as a compliment. We were very chuffed that they at, 2 and 5 years of age, could be respectful of a place. I don't understand why it seems so hard for parents to teach their children how to behave in public.

I told a kid off in McDs. I hadn't intended to, it just burst out of me. Mum and boy, around 8/9 years old I'd say, were waiting at the counter for their food to be prepared, I was queuing right behind them. Kid starts screaming at mum because she'd bought him a £100+ gift for xmas and he wanted it NOW. (Early December). When she said no, he upped the shouting and started hammering his fists on the plastic money box where people out their loose change for charity. It was full up and I thought any minute now, that is going to smash and go everywhere and, before I even knew I was going to say anything, I said, in a low, stern voice "Don't you dare. That is for children who need that far more than you!" He was so stunned he stopped immediately. I started to be a bit concerned mum would have a go, but she never turned round or said a word. I wonder how long he stayed quiet, lol.

THREE reasons to discipline other people's kids. Imminent physical danger to self or others, destruction of property, and interfering with other people's medical devices.

We seem to have forgotten that it really does take a village to raise a child ... When children 'misbehave' (ie need to learn what is socially accepted in certain places/situations), people who do know, need to tell them (in an acceptable way) and not roll their eyes and post about 'this terrible thing that happened to them' on socials. And the parent has to accept this (hey, thanks for helping out. This is a lesson we need to work on) and even follow through on it ... (Are you upset because this stranger yelled at you to stop touching stuff? I bet that is a terrible feeling. He didn't like you to touch all these things. You damage his stuff that way and that makes him upset. He tried to tell you, but you were too distracted to hear him. Let's try to remember not to touch these things in this location next time, ok?)

When I was a kid, we were taught by being walloped. HARD. We didn’t behave like THAT again. It only takes one good shot to learn. Then someone decides this is “abuse,” calls the police to rat out people they see hitting their kids, and now no one can teach their kids anymore, and look what we’ve got: greedy, thoughtless, rude, rotten, miserable little monsters who make sure everyone around them suffers, too. Thanks a lot, folks!

HanakenVulpine made a very good point. What if OP's mother DID decide to slap the taste out of those kids' mouths? EM would have liked THAT even less. She needs to teach her kids how to behave; they already know how NOT to behave.