i got in a fight with some guy in the store today...

[I_luv_rusty]

That so stupid! I would have been like i'm not going to hit your child, next time be watching your children or i'll tell a store manager or something!

[K9soul]

I feel the matter should have been taken to a responsible adult rather than you arguing with the parents. I know times have changed, but as a child I would not have DREAMED of arguing with an adult like that no matter how much I may have thought it justified.

The best course of action would have been to just walk away. All your life, you will run into poorly controlled, undisciplined children who are not monitored as they should be. Unless they are damaging the store or specifically hurting you, there is no purpose arguing and shouting at a parent. All that does is reinforce the kids' behavior when they see their dad not caring or even taking their side. It is NOT going to do anything to change the parent, all it does is compromise your own dignity. If they had been damaging the store, I'd have gone to a store manager to report it. If they had specifically done something to hurt me, I would have gone to my own parents to report it.

[Alysser]

Xxxx

[K9soul]

Don't be upset. You are more mature then that "DAD" for sure! I would have been like "No, I will not hit your child. Are you retarded? Letting some stranger hit you child. Grow up and go to parenting classes."

I beg to differ. Showing more maturity than him would have involved walking away rather than standing and arguing when it was obviously pointless.

[Karen]

Getting confrontational with the parent is not going to teach him anything, or the child anything but that her Dad ill defend her, so she must not have been doing anything wrong. Next time, call attention to the situation with a store employee, and then walk away.

[caseysmom]

Telling an adult to grow up and go to a parenting class would be very disrespectful imo.

[Kfamr]

I was just about to say what Jessica did, however, she put it a lot better than I could.

[Vela]

I agree with Jessica. There are responsible adults to take these matters to and a child has no place telling an adult how to behave. Kids nowdays are often disrespectful but arguing with an adult is not another child's place, even if that means taking the problem to a responsible adult rather than arguing with the one causing the problem. Not to mention a kid could get hurt arguing with an adult and it's just not a good idea.

[CathyBogart]

Age does not necessarily denote maturity, as we all know. I see nothing wrong with a younger person telling an older person if they feel the older person is being irresponsible. Being young doesn't mean that you don't know anything, and honestly, some of the parents I see coming into my store could improve their parenting with lessons from my fifteen year old brother.