S/O shaming

[circa1978]

Have you ever commented on a stranger's parenting to their face? 

[lilac05]

No, except to compliment it.

I was a perfect parent with all of the answers...until I actually became a parent!

[bonquiqui]

No, I am non confrontational, and I know nothing about parenting 

[Deleted]

No never. I'm not a parent and I know nothing. Then again I don't think I would even if I was a parent unless the child was in harm's way.

[mlt]

Yes. Once in an airport two kids were racing each other on the moving walkways and knocked into me and a couple of elderly people. Their mom and dad were laughing and encouraging them. I said she was a shitty parent as I passed her. She called me a bitch. It was really lovely.

[Deleted]

Yep. With friends, it is more like, "[Whoopi gif - Girl, you in danger!] if you don't stop with that nonsense." Then I say nothing else.

With strangers, I will tell it like it is if I have enough information on the situation.

[wannabe]

Only in my head, like normal people do. LOL.

[blondemoment123]

I complimented a lady on her polite little boy for getting the door for me. He was probably about 8 and quite the little gentleman. It was adorable lol.

[Deleted]

Yup. I called another Mom a bitch last week. She grabbed my kid and yelled in his face in the bounce house after he fell on her kid. I watched it was an accident. He said sorry and she grabbed him by the arm. I got in between them & said get your hands off my kid and then I mouthed " you bitch"

I was super proud of DS because he yelled " You can't touch my BODY " really loud at her! He got a treat after & tons of praise.

[pooh8402]

I'll say something to strangers if their kid is especially polite or well-behaved.

otherwise, no. although my sister has asked me for advice before, so I'll tell her "well I'm not a parent, but I've read this [usually here on ML], so take it with a grain of salt..." certainly not unsolicited.

[sequins]

I don't know if this was a comment on parenting. But when I worked in my hospital, the pediatric wing was moved to the second floor temporarily and on two separate occasions, a parent had their child sit on the corridor's railing. Like the child would plummet to death if they slipped. I told both of them off.

[Queen Mamadala]

Nope. Never.

[kadams767]

Yes, but it was less a judgment on parenting and more a judgment on this dude being a complete asshole in front of his kid. I was in line at the grocery store one day, this guy and his son were in front of me and a woman was checking out in front of them. The woman at the checkout had a lot of items and was carefully checking her coupons, her list and the total on the register, so it was taking a little longer than usual. This guy started making comments to me about how slow the woman was and how she should've let him go front of her or should've come when it wasn't busy if she had to "count her pennies". Presumably, the thought he was being funny and I'd laugh and commiserate with him. I think I shocked the hell out of him when I told him that he was setting a terrible example for his kid and he should learn some patience, empathy AND manners.

[circa1978]

On the complimenting side, I will say that as I struggled with carrying three pieces of luggage and herding my overexcited, overtired, sugared-up 3-year-old through a train on Christmas Day, a woman looked at me and said, "You are doing great. It is going to be OK." And I loved her.

The idea of telling someone their kid is coughing wrong gives me that feeling where I'm so embarrassed for someone on TV that I have to leave the room or fast forward.

[marylennox]

Hell no.

[mandymay]

Not to their face, no.

I was overdue with this kid in October and my daughter was being an excited pill (because, Halloween!) at the grocery store and I was miserable and frazzled. An older woman came up and said 'you're going to have your hands full very soon, I think' and I thought she was judging me at first, but then she added 'you're doing a great job' and I could have cried right there in the store I was so touched.

So, thank you to all the ladies who compliment parents! I don't think I'd have the chutzpah to confront an awful parent unless it was something truly egregious.

[livinitup]

Yes, when I was running a Parenting Program with a Parent Education component.

Amazingly parents are open and eager when they are PART of the conversation and eager for education when it builds on strengths not criticism.

[cuddlyevil]

Nope.

[nursewife]

Nope. I'm not very assetive to people's face unless it's a situation a feel strongly about. I"m pretty damn drunk right now, so there is noooooo assertiveness coming from me right now! Hopefully once I reach Cananda, I'll be sober, and back to my awesome self!!

[sewf]

Just once. I work in a bookstore, and at the time, I ran the kid's section. I was around a display, so the mom couldn't see me, but I heard her slap her son (he was probably 8 or so) and she was cussing at him. I just made myself known and asked her not to cuss in the kids section since there were other children around. So not so much directly on her parenting, but she seemed rightfully embarrassed. They left shortly after. I wish I would have said more, though.

[starshine1977]

As a preschool teacher, I bite my tongue everyday. However, I do try to help parents out if they need it and are open to it. And celebrate successes with them and their children when they happen.

[MarmeeNoir]

Kinda, I was in the smoking section when I was college when a mother walked by and told her daughter to look at those bad people smoking and not grow up and be one AS SHE WALK THROUGH US. I said she'll probably grow up to be a bitch just like her mother.

Not my finest moment.