Scolded a young boy.
 

Yesterday I was sitting at a cafe by a river where there are tons of ducks, geese and other water fowl. I was with some of my colleagues having some wine. Anyways, this young boy, maybe eight years old, picked up a handful of rocks and sand and threw it at this large group of ducks and they all scattered away. I was quite offended that he did that and I raised my voice and half yelled to him "Hey, don't do that!"

I felt a bit embarrassed afterward and my colleagues just laughed it off. The child's mother was sitting nearby and didn't do anything or care and the boy stopped throwing stuff at the birds. I feel like I was out of place for scolding the boy but I was also a bit disturbed that he would do that.

Hi Clio 86. I don't think there was anything wrong with you telling the kid to stop throwing rocks at the birds. I probably would've done the same - or at least given the kid and/or the mom a dirty look, ha ha. At eight years, kids are still learning to interact with their world and you were doing the same - nothing really wrong with that. People of all ages want to get a reaction sometimes from other people or creatures. I think it's a good thing that SOMEbody told him to stop - to serve notice to him that there are going to be some people who don't feel like tolerating thoughtless behavior like that.

You felt out of place because you felt you could have acted in a greater concordance with who you believe you are. Could you just have gone and just talked to the boy about it. Sure. Could you have done other things sure. What do you feel would have been the best way to show yourself in accordance with how you feel inside?

You were right in what you did. Kids these days have no respect for other creatures besides themselves. I saw something horrible today, something I've been trying to forget, but I had a feeling I'd end up mentioning it here....

My mate showed me these photos on Facebook, a pup that was disemboweled, hung from a fence, and left to die....The cries of a dog in pain have been haunting my mind ever since. It made me so misanthropic today, so burning with rage, like a blood sacrifice of any innocent human will help atone for what our species does to others. Those photos really bothered my mate as well, so I don't why he had to show me. Maybe he just didn't want to bear the pain alone....

So don't feel bad. Your words didn't leave that kid terrified, bleeding, crying in agony, or dying. If anything, scolding him might've made him a better person. Teach this generation that humans are neither the first nor the last.

Good for you! You did right.

Little children are always doing things they shouldn't. They are still testing the world around them for what works and what doesn't.
When I was about that age, we lived differently. In those days children went out on their own or with their friends, walked home from school on their own, played out in the woods, etc. It was normal. Parents weren't with us 24/7. I don't suppose anyone would understand that today.
On numerous occasions I was 'told off' by strangers for doing naughty things. I always understood it and was not naughty enough to wish to repeat the misdemeanour!
(Climbing a high fence to steal a woman's apples....stealing a beautiful pink rose from an old lady's garden....opening a gate to let horses wander where they liked....etc etc) I needed telling off!

You did no harm! And just as I remember the tickings-off I received aged approximately eight, then that little boy may also remember, and recall exactly why.

You acted absolutely correctly. I'm sure that I would have done the same, in your situation. As others have already said, children at that age need telling what is right and wrong. If parentss say nothing, then their children will never know what is right and wrong. Ideally, parents should also explain WHY such behaviour is wrong.

It should have the parent who cried, "Don't do that! You can hurt the birds!". Sadly, the parent said nothing and you got the impression that maybe she didn't care. So you shouted out yourself. Good for you. You have probably helped that child learn that throwing stuff at birds is wrong.

My thoughts exactly.
You've done well, Clio, and please don't feel guilty for doing so.
It's not so much the child's act that is bothersome, afterall he is only a child in learning, but the parent's, who didn't care enough to teach her child "respect". Respect of all living creatures and inanimate objects as well.
Lack of respect is something I will not tolerate and would have done the same in your position...be proud you have a conscience.

Thanks, I feel better about it now. I'm kind of shy so I was feeling quite uneasy about that incident but I'm sure I'd react exactly the same way if it happened again.

I would have done exactly the same as you did Clio. It's rather strange that the child's mother didn't notice or appear to care.