Relax, mom. Nothing bad happened! Your kid is just a normal 3 year old still learning about sharing. Yes, you should've jumped in before the grandmother stepped in (correctly), but ultimately it's not a big deal. I have anxiety and sometimes freeze up in social situations, and it sounds like you may be an anxious person too.

Lazy parenting. Were you on your phone?

I will say that sometimes it can be appropriate for parents to sit back and let preschoolers figure out how to "share" on their own -- including taking toys from other kids. It helps them learn to deal with frustration, take turns, play cooperatively, "read" the emotions of others. Taking toys can be a normal part of play - if you can relax enough to watch 3 year olds play together, you'll see this. But this obviously only works if the grownups are all ok with it.

But it is also appropriate to learn other rules in public places, and it is definitely appropriate at 3 to learn that you have to be very nice to babies.

omg OP, you should be grateful that grandma is helping teach your child manners!

Sounds like a lovely exchange. It's good for kids to learn to respect others and nice for you to not have to be on top of your kid to pounce in with corrections like this. I actually grew to love it when other people would do this (no, I was not the mother who let her kid run wild). I also liked being part of a community where I felt comfortable making small corrections like this for others' children. That's part of the community. That's part of the deal of child rearing.

Anonymous wrote:I think it's normal to feel embarrassed when your kid does something they shouldn't do. Most people have been in your shoes, but I still always felt like I was being judged.

I don't see what the grandmother did wrong, unless she yelled at him.

+1 Everyone handled it just fine, but it is totally normal to feel embarrassed.

Preschool teacher here - what your child did was normal. Kids have to make mistakes to learn. Sometimes hearing corrections from other people can be more powerful and effective. If the grandma had said “oh it’s okay the baby doesn’t care” your child would not learn important information about manners in a public space.

The grandma’s language was perfect.

If something like that happens again you could tell the person “ thank you for helping them with that”
And don’t be embarrassed - really! It is their job to find out about the world and what happens....it’s our job to tell them gently and kindly what the rules are. And then help them when they break them. Because they will, over and over again.

Part of what’s so frustrating about parenting is being in situations where you feel your child should know better. But they have to learn that not only do we not take toys from babies at the library, we don’t take toys at preschool, or the park, or the children’s museum, etc

You should have stepped up and corrected your child before the grandma had too. I think that's why you feel your inner voice judging you. It's not a big deal but your child at 3 needs to realize that you don't take toys from babies.

lololol the grandma overstepped because she said give the book back when your brat stole it and you didn't course-correct...bahahahaha

Were you on your phone OP?

Anonymous wrote:I suffer from mild social anxiety. I can def see myself being embarrassed in this scenario and I would have worried about being judged. Ds is 6 now and I'm much better, but still struggle sometimes.


Grandmother did nothing wrong.

+1

Try to let it go OP. I say things like that often to kids, and I hope their mothers don’t feel judged! I’m not judging them at all. I just want the toy back.

"It takes a village" but only when directed to other people's kids

Anonymous wrote:"My child took a toy out of the baby’s hand to play with it..."

NO. You should have immediately told your child to hand it back. The grandmother should not have had to tell you to do it.

Up your game, OP.

Agree. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it but yes you should’ve stepped in before grandma had to say something. Your child was acting normally for her age but still clearly in the wrong.

"My child took a toy out of the baby’s hand to play with it..."

NO. You should have immediately told your child to hand it back. The grandmother should not have had to tell you to do it.

Up your game, OP.

The grandmother was right. Gosh I hope this is a troll or you are a first time mom. Keep your three year old away from
Babies at the library playroom!