Do you punish someone else's child?

In most states the law provides you the right to discipline any child left in your care even for a few minutes. The behavior depends on the childs actions and willingness to obey. Talking to some children a good scolding gets results and telling them how ashamed you are and how ashamed the parents will be. But time out might be better. However in my many years as a parent, foster parent and grandparent I have seen cases where the ONLY thing that works is a firm hard swat on the bottom one or two and yes the law does allow for that. All children need to know that no matter where they are that they must respect other people, their belongings, homes and property and their authority. If a child does not learn this early on he/she will learn it later in detention and juvenile court. My rule is if you don't want me to discpline your child find someone else to leave them with because my house, my rules, my way is what goes around here and that includes whopping on the bottom if called for especially when the child is being destructive or causing harm to himself or others.

If the kids' parents don't step up after I've told them what happens then yes I do punish the other kid. But if I know the parent and kid really well I don't really feel all that bad impossing the same punishment they do for the same situation.

I will control him with my gestures and take him out from my room or so.

I absolutely would, do and always have..MIND YOU my friends AND their children know thats how I work and my friends have no problem with it at all...I've actually had numerous friends over the yrs who would call me to scold their kids for them etc simply because the kids all seem to listen to me...Its kinda wierd really or it use to be at least..its been goin on for so long now though I'm use to it at this point LOL I also have rules in my house and I demand that they be followed..I'll give a kid one chance/one warning (sometimes two depending) but after that they're fair game so to speak

it is long standing understanding between me and my friends that we punish each others kids if they need it. im not saying that we beat each others kids, but depending on their ages sometimes its putting them in a corner or taking away a favorite toy etc....

I would discipline the child, let him know what he is doing is not ok. If his mother was coming right back I would maybe give him quiet activities to do sitting at the table until she gets back, and let her decide how to handle it. If she was going to be a while, I would probably give him a time out, depending on the age. I would absolutely Not let it go. There is no benefit for anyone in ignoring bad behavior just because the child isn't yours. If my son was visiting a friend's house, I hope that his friend's parents would discipline him for that type of behavior- within reason, of course.

Punishing other person's child some time leads to huge problems. So be very careful in this deed.

Depends on who it is. If it were my best friend's child or one of my cousins - I'd give them a swat on the butt it they deserved it. =) I have reprimanded other women's children before. I remember one case in which my kids were looking at this gross, huge bug on the side walk. This little boy came up and looked. I said "Don't step on him, he's not doing anything." The little **** did it anyway, and my kids started crying. I scolded him, quite loudly, about how it's mean to kill things that aren't hurting you, and that he made my daughters cry, and it was terribly naughty of him to do it. Other women around seemed taken aback, but his mother (who had 5 younger ones in tow) walked up, smacked his butt, then apologized profusely and thanked me for giving him whatfor right away. She said that some things just can't wait to be dealt with and was glad he'd been reprimanded right away. I also chewed out a 7 year old once when I worked at RadioShack, but that's a totally different (and hilarious) story.

You should have the right to punish another person's child IF they do something to you. My family (other then me,) Tend to think, "leave it up to their Parents!" No, thats totally wrong. You see, if your child were hit, you have every right too punish them, and if the mother is unhappy, she should remember that he was breaking rules in your household. But thats just my opinion.

No! But I talk to the child if the mother or father is doing nothing to discipline him/her. We want to retaliate on what is being done to our kids, but it is not our responsibility to discipline other's kids.

I'd discipline him, let him know what he did wrong and then send him home and call his parent(s) and let them know why he got sent home. I wouldn't put up with that in my house. Kids learn by coyping and the last thing I'd need is one of my kids, if I had any, mocking their friend's bad behavior.

Time out is the best response. However it isn't always met with the best of results. Often it is met with anger, additional fits. There are just so many issues when it comes to other peoples kids. It seems that the world has gotten all uptight about punishment and a result no one punishes their kids let alone other kids. There was a time when pack theory was how people lived (like wolves). All the adults helped out with all the cubs. The cubs grew up respecting adults and the knowledge they offered. We don't do that now. It is always a hard call. I baby sat a lot of kids in my teenage years. That was the only job I had. It happened that my pastor called upon my services to babysit his three grandchildren one afternoon. It was a horrible situation. The boys were climbing on the furniture, cussing me out, and physically hitting me. They wouldn't do a time out. Then they started eating the plastic grapes (we were at grandma and grandpas), they were throwing books and shoes. I suggested we go outside hoping for a distraction. They climbed in the kiddie pool with all their clothes and shoes on, they threw mud at each other and me. Then one of them started chasing the other while swinging a metal rod. He was really trying to hit the kid! Finally grandma and the mom arrived home. I was so relieved. On the drive home the mom was talking to me about people complaining about her kids and their behavior. She was like, "They are just little boys, they aren't badly behaved." I was wondering if she thought that when they called HER the b word. I didn't say a word, I climbed out, and they were the only kids I ever refused to babysit.

i'll treat him as my own children.(i don't have a child yet)if he hits my child then i would tell him what he has done is not a good behavior.i'll teach him how to be friendly to the persons around before his mother come back.

I would never punish someones child, i would however calmly explain that it is wrong and ask the child to stop. if he was kicking me i would walk away and get him a lolly pop or something to calm him down, or tell him im going to tell his mother/father - that usually works

Since this is your home and his mother left him with you to take care of yes I would dicipline him. He would be setting in a chair until she got back. This child needs to learn respect for other people and their home and things. If the other didn't like it then she can find someone else to watch her son. If she lets him do this when she is there the I wouldn't count her as a very good friend. Because if she doesn't teach him to respect you and your home then she also doesn't respect them. I know I'm a hard a$$ but my home my rules even for friends. all ythese things are too expencive to have a child ruin. And your daughter deserves respect.

I would have that child sitting in a chair and waiting for his mom. I would then leave the actual discipline to the parent. I would not allow the child to continue to disrespect me or my things in that way but I would don't feel it is my right to go any further with discipline than that. If the behavior was common with this child, I may think twice about watching him again.

This is hard. Ahmmm. I would try to take first my kid out of his reach, and would tell him that what he is done is not good and that you would tell his mom. Then tell your friend about what his son had done once she gets back. This is really hard though. :( I wonder how I would react knowing that adults when it comes to their kids are quite emotional and passionate in a way.