Agitated Stranger Slaps Crying Tot At Store

[CaliforniaDreamin]

When my DD was an infant, we had an incident at Super Kmart. We were at the back of the store and she woke up screaming. Neither on of my kids would take a paci. I was literally running to the front of the door so I could go to the car to nurse her. On my way out, an old lady, probably in her 80's stopped me and told me she should jerk a knot in my head for letting my baby scream like that. I was so insulted. I was going as fast as I can to get outside so as not to offend anyone by nursing in public. I cried all the way home. People are cruel. I will never forget that. I was so shocked she said that, I didn't have time to defend myself.

 

[mbanks21]

Maybe cause Im a guy if someone even SAID something like that to my daughter there would be a confrontation and if one hair on her head was out of place I swear by god and sonny jesus he'd be in the hospital on a respirator

 

[pixiewings71]

I only quoted a couple of people I did not mean that the guy doesn't deserve to have a parent get angry with him, or that it was wrong--I just am surprised that pretty much everyone thinks their initial response would be to hurt the person who hurt their child rather than to comfort their child and be she s/he is okay. I think both are appropriate and reasonable--I was jsut so any people REALLY would mean that anger would overwhelm concern as first response.

My response would be to get him AWAY from my child as fast as possible and to make it verrrrry difficult for him to try anything again. You can bet I'd be reassuring my child but stopping him would be my first priority.

 

[Serena]

He would have gotten the threat out and that is all. I am as nice and sweet as can be, but do not mess with my kids.

You come near my kid and you had better pray the police get here fast.

My brother in law tried that comment once. See my 4 yo daughter was defending herself against her bigger and stronger cousin and ended up scratching his face near his eye. Now, this was a common occurrence, he was always hurting her and I did my best to prevent it. I watched him out of the kindness of my heart, because his parents begged me to, because no one else would.
My bil was in another car and we happen to cross paths when he said that to me. I told him I dared him to get near her. He didn't dare.

I refused to watch my nephew after that.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would have to have been pulled off the guy if he did that to my daughter--
Not surprised to hear it happened in a Walmart though!!!!!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

uhhhhh lets see I have 2 grown kids and a grandchild and I can tell you I DO NOT like crying kids or screaming kids or any kinda kid that is just unhappy LOL BUT if anyone my DH included slapped my grandchild he would draw back a bloody stump where his hand used to be .

I am that lady that you get upset with that asks to be moved when your kid is screaming during my dinner or behind me kicking my seat on an airplane but please be assured I WOULD NEVER STRIKE A CHILD !

 

[JoiseyMom]

I discussed this with DH today, and he was like, wow, the guy would be dead if he touched my child!

In response to his threat I would have said do you want to f ing die?? ANd if he touched her his plumbing would never work again. He would be a female once I was done with him. I would have no issues going to jail for maiming that moron!!

I also can't wait for the jail house justice on this guy!

 

[Mickeyistheman]

I am surely going to get some flames for this one.....

Now I have no children of my own and have ALOT of patience. HOWEVER......when I see anyone with a child or several and one is screaming and crying and is very very loud and nothing is being done, that would annoy the you know what out of me. The parents should be able to control their children and not just tune it out. What about the other people that are around? They are just supposed to tune that out as well? That is not fair to them, they are trying to get done in line or finish their shopping too.

His comment was not nessessary and him acutally touching the child that many times!!!!!!!!! That is crazy, but how long where they online? How long was the kid crying? If I was online for 15 mins or longer and a child was doing that I would be annoyed and I would say something to the parents. You are in a public place with other people who don't have the same temperment as you do with your child, its called respect for others.

Just like some who have said they can't stand people talking on their cell phones well maybe they don't like your screaming kid(s) either.

JMO

 

[PixieDust32]

Gee, a crying kid in Walmart....How unbelievable is that? No wonder the guy blew his stack. I mean, going to Walmart is the equivalent of dining at V&A.....You expect refinement and silence.

If this is how the man acts in PUBLIC with a STRANGER'S child, then I'd hate to see how he acts in private, when he can't be seen. He's lucky he didn't pull this in a Texas Walmart, where some of the mothers have their concealed weapons in their purses, or he'd be in a hospital instead of a jail. And the mom would never be indicted.

Seriously, if a mob had attacked him on the spot, he'd have deserved it. If he would have hit my child, he'd have been wearing a shopping cart in no time flat. I'm not violent, but hurt my child and all bets are off. I hope they give him the max.

No kidding, If some crazy old man or anybody would have hit my child, ohhh god, they one arrested would probably be me

 

[sunnyday123]

I am surely going to get some flames for this one.....

Now I have no children of my own and have ALOT of patience. HOWEVER......when I see anyone with a child or several and one is screaming and crying and is very very loud and nothing is being done, that would annoy the you know what out of me. The parents should be able to control their children and not just tune it out. What about the other people that are around? They are just supposed to tune that out as well? That is not fair to them, they are trying to get done in line or finish their shopping too.

His comment was not nessessary and him acutally touching the child that many times!!!!!!!!! That is crazy, but how long where they online? How long was the kid crying? If I was online for 15 mins or longer and a child was doing that I would be annoyed and I would say something to the parents. You are in a public place with other people who don't have the same temperment as you do with your child, its called respect for others.

Just like some who have said they can't stand people talking on their cell phones well maybe they don't like your screaming kid(s) either.

JMO

yeah...you're pretty much in the same boat as the dude from WalMart.

oh yea, and this too -->

 

[PixieDust32]

What can you expect when they never had kids.

 

[Serena]

I don't care how annoying my children are, no one threatens them, let alone dares to touch them. You can tell me how annoyed you are all you want. Not that I would listen. I obviously know they are being annoying and am trying to fix the problem, or on my way out. I don't need some stranger telling me about it.

 

[PixieDust32]

I am surely going to get some flames for this one.....

Now I have no children of my own and have ALOT of patience. HOWEVER......when I see anyone with a child or several and one is screaming and crying and is very very loud and nothing is being done, that would annoy the you know what out of me. The parents should be able to control their children and not just tune it out. What about the other people that are around? They are just supposed to tune that out as well? That is not fair to them, they are trying to get done in line or finish their shopping too.

His comment was not nessessary and him acutally touching the child that many times!!!!!!!!! That is crazy, but how long where they online? How long was the kid crying? If I was online for 15 mins or longer and a child was doing that I would be annoyed and I would say something to the parents. You are in a public place with other people who don't have the same temperment as you do with your child, its called respect for others.

Just like some who have said they can't stand people talking on their cell phones well maybe they don't like your screaming kid(s) either.

JMO

If people get annoyed, then stay home.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I only quoted a couple of people I did not mean that the guy doesn't deserve to have a parent get angry with him, or that it was wrong--I just am surprised that pretty much everyone thinks their initial response would be to hurt the person who hurt their child rather than to comfort their child and be she s/he is okay. I think both are appropriate and reasonable--I was jsut so any people REALLY would mean that anger would overwhelm concern as first response.

I think that if I saw him doing it, I'd attack him. If, however, I saw it happen and it was over by the time I got to my child, I'd comfort the child first.

I asked my husband what he'd do and he said grab the heavy thing within reach and whap him across the head.

 

[AC7179]

I wonder if the guy doesn't have early-onset dementia or Alzheimer's.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Okay ya'll, I don't have kids, but there are times I see mothers with toddlers and the toddlers are pitching fits. Pretty often, the moms (or dads) are doing the right thing - totally ignoring the fit, at worst, dragging darlin' one along in his/her stroller or in the shopping cart. I am well aware that this is EXACTLY what you're supposed to do in the situation. I also see tons of parents at the thrift store I shop at doing the skillful misdirection trick so well, I wonder if they teach classes on parenting!

But never once have I gone up to any of them and said "Wow! You're a great parent!" I think it every time I see a parent drop junior, screaming and kicking into a shopping cart and then move along, waiting out the attempt at getting an unapproved pretty with the absolute beautific patience of Job. But I've never SAID it. I think I'm afraid the parent will think I'm being condescending or sarcastic - I'm not. I didn't have kids because I was scared I wouldn't be able to be that parent, who is sucking it up and doing the right thing by their kid, even when it sucks to do.

Anyway, if you see a messy brunette at the thrift store and she says "You are, like, the best parent ever" while your child is having a meltdown because you just said "no, no we do NOT play under the purses" and then enforced the no-playing-under-the-purse-rack rule? She really does mean that she thinks you are a much better parent than she could've ever been and that she is thoroughly impressed and is happy YOUR kids will be adults when she's old and in diapers.

 

[Ember]

If people get annoyed, then stay home.

I'm sorry, this is uncalled for. Why not tell parents to stay home instead? Their children are the ones disturbing everyone around them... Of course, this isn't right either. Common courtesy goes both ways.

There are times and places for children, and people need to be reasonable and patient when children are present. Children are going to talk, they're going to make noise, and they move around. What I think is unacceptable is ignoring a public temper tantrum or blatantly bad behavior. Take the child outside or away from the situation where they won't disturb everyone else and away from the attention they are garnering. When they are ready to behave again, bring them back. This is how a child learns what's acceptable in public.

The man in this case was TOTALLY and UNQUESTIONABLY wrong. There is NO reason to threaten and hit a child like that.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

That is unbelievable. Yeah, it's annoying to be around a crying child, but sometimes you just have to deal with it. Last week I went to an early dinner at an Indian Restaurant near my school (about 4:00pm). When I entered I was the only one in the place, then a woman, her mother, and two year old daughter came in. The child was crying when they entered and crying when I left about 45 minutes later. Would I have loved to have been able to say something and get the child to shut up or leave the restaurant? Sure. But it's a public place and you can't expect peace and quiet, so I just read my book and tried my best to tune it out.

 

[CJ's Mommy]

The stunned mother says she ignored the threat but tried to calm her child, reports CBS affiliate WGCL-TV in Atlanta. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for Stephens. Authorities say Stephens then grabbed the 2-year-old and slapped her. The child began screaming and Stephens was arrested.

Some concerned bystanders cornered Stephens in the store and detained him until Wal-Mart security was alerted.

Police say an examination showed the girl's face was slightly red.

A call to the girl's mother, identified in the police report as Sonya Mathews of Grayson, was answered by a woman who identified herself as Sabrina Mathis, the victim's aunt.

Mathis said Wednesday that the girl is doing fine.

"As of today, she has really forgotten about it," Mathis said. "She's been playing."

Mathis said the girl's mother was shaken up over the incident.

"She's as well as to be expected," Mathis said. "Right now she's just trying to calm down."

I think the bolded part is why the mom may not have had the chance to hand him his head. I've been wondering about this myself, since I saw it on the news last night. If he grabbed the child, as in picked her up, then any injury the mom inflicted on him could potentially hurt her daughter.

I'm with most of the pp's though, if he didn't have my child in his arms, there is NO WAY he would have gotten a second slap in. I am a maniac when it comes to my children. People really need to realize that....I don't understand how that guy had the nerve to pull some crap like that.

And I can tell you right now that I would have the same reaction if I saw him do that to a stranger's child.

I would've been on him like white on rice. You do not mess with peoples kids!!!!! Foolish man. He is lucky he didn't encounter any of us dismoms!!!!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

OMG! How awful and disgusting! I have to say, if i was that little girl's mother I would be sitting in the cell next to that man b/c I would have scratched his eyeballs out! How dare he lay a finger on that little girl!