Have you ever....

If the situation is so severe I feel I need to say something it is usually along the lines of, "Where is your adult?"

 

The only other incident that happened earlier this summer was I was at one of DD's classes, there to pick her up. Everyone was waiting in the gym and the teenaged "counselors" were having trouble with one kid - who was really becoming a danger to himself and others. I let them handle it for a little while but when it became obvious that the situation was only getting worse, I stepped in - you know because I'm such a Mom. I walked over and sternly said, "She has asked you to sit down several times. Don't you think it is about time you sat down?" The kid looked at me, paled, and immediately sat down. Later, I heard him ask, "Who was that?" No one knew - LOL.

No I never have.  Unless they are doing something like standing on an edge of a cliff and Mom isn't noticing, but thats the only time.  I don't want people repremanding my kids so I try not to do it to someone else's.

 

Of course if we are at ALDI, and my kids are sitting on the bagging counter, I don't mind someone saying something, but I'd prefer it to be the worker.  Otherwise I think people should mind their own business.
 

Yes. I have mildly said something along the lines of "you don't want to be doing that" or "you know better than to be climbing on that" or just brought my finger up to my lips to mime "shhhhh" when I make eye contact with the kid. Sometimes some screaming kid just might make eye contact with me & I give him a serious look & shake my head & the kid pauses, switches to a whimper, and hugs the parent. No parent has ever told me to butt out, given me a dirty look or anything.

This is EXACTLY what I do!!! I try to be as nice as possible so I don't upset anybody. I've even been known to say 'Does your Mommy know you're doing that?' and usually the kids get the point and go find their parents.

Yeah, the other day I was watching a little boy start to crawl out of the seat of the cart and immediately begin to trip on the strap that should have buckled him in. The mom's back was turned while she loaded groceries into the car. I kept thinking, "Can I get to him in time if he tumbles out of the cart and onto his head on the asphalt?" Luckily he tumbled backwards into the cart. The groceries cushioned his fall.

 

Good.

Only if they are doing something dangerous.

 

But now if they are on my property or in my house and their parents won't make them behave, then all bets are off and I will say something to the kids. And if their parents say a word to me, then the parents get a earfull too. 

Last month at a library science event with a guest speaker. Two girls wouldn't stop talking. Two kids in front of them ssshhh'ed them twice. I asked them to be quiet and another mom did the same. Then a different mom asked them to be quiet. Finally I said in a stern voice "you both have been asked repeatedly to stop talking. Where is your mother because I am tired of you being disrespectful to those around you? Sit there, be quiet or leave." Turns out mother was out looking at books. Afterwards I told the children's librarian what I had said to the girls and if there mom had an issue should could come talk to me. 

 

I have asked kids at parks to stop throwing rocks, sand or sticks around my girls before. 

Not very often as that is not my style to reprimand adults or children in public. But I have if they were doing something dangerous to themselves, someone else, or to property. But not for just being annoying. There is a retention pond across the street from my house and every year the neighborhood association has to pay to buy that big gravel stuff (you know, the bigger rocks, not small ones) to go around the edges. And every year we get Canadian geese who nest on the banks and then live in the pond. Once there were some bratty boys taking the rocks and throwing them at the geese and there was not an adult around. I did yell across the street at them and told them to stop doing that. I later laughed to my DH that I'd probably get the reputation of "the crazy old neighborhood lady".

I think maybe what I'm more amazed about is that the mother(s) came over to reprimand YOU. If that had happened to my kids, I might have just rolled my eyes, but certainly wouldn't have gone tracking down the mom to yell at her.