Can a stranger correct your child? This is what you think

We recently presented a statement to the Kek Mama readers: ‘A stranger may reprove my child’. There was a massive response.

A selection of the – rather divergent – reactions:

• Marieke: “Yes, but it depends on whether it is justified and the tone in which it is used. Nowadays a lot of people ventilate their opinion and rules as the truth and then I don’t think it’s okay.”
• Marina: “Not a stranger! I will always say to a stranger that my children are not allowed to talk to strangers for safety and that it is not desirable that you just address a child. When I am there, I am the one who addresses them! “
• Simone: “Nope! But you can always address me about the behavior of my children. I think they listen quite well and can behave nicely in/in public places. If someone does bother them, then a friendly conversation is always a good idea. possible.”
• Luana: “Yes. If my child does something that is really unacceptable or dangerous, she can certainly be held accountable. It takes a village to raise a child† I think everyone should address each other if someone goes too far.”
• Sigrid: “Certainly not when I am there myself. My children have autism. That is not a good talker, but they are sometimes not well understood. Their behavior is not always easy to explain to a stranger and I, as a parent, understand their motives often.”
• Sanne: “No, that feels so bad. And that seems to be very unpleasant for a child, so no. Besides the babysitters, parents of friends where they play and the teachers of course.”
• Bianca: “If everyone would do that and allow it, we would have much less misery in the world. Children on the street only give a big mouth if you say something. This is partly because the youth do not get any contradiction from strangers. My children may be corrected by anyone, provided they are respected.”