Timeout in a store? Ummm I don't think so because that would be extremely hard to enforce. Timeouts are for at home punishments and not in store punishment. So OP was probably not interrupting something like that. The mom was probably just a bit€h! I used to work at a hospital so I know how bitchy some moms can be about their kids. Anyway, you should have told her to **** off! I would have. Lol

That's why I said "or something" and that's not true. I'm a timeout baby myself. If I acted out in a public place (like a store,) my mom. . . and dad, would place me in the shopping cart and punish me right there and then with time outs. Because of this, I learn that I couldn't get away with bad behavior when they were too busy doing errands. (:

I totally agree with you, Enslaved. I have NO problem giving my kids a timeout no matter where they are.

If you wait too long to punish younger kids, like waiting until you are home for the day, the odds are that they may not remember why they are being punished. (this is only true for young children)

My point exactly. A teacher is basically a stranger to a little kid.

Even if the little girl was being punished, how was OP supposed to know that?

Maybe in your part of the world. But here we have a saying. "It takes a village to raise a child". What chance does a child have to develop social skills if we hide them away from anyone who tries to talk to them? No wonder kids these days are so messed up. Parents of today are raising a generation of bubblewrap kids.

Where I come from, we're taught to ask before we interact with a person's dog and should certainly do the same for their kid. Also feeling like kids need to be constantly happy and a random strange child needs cheering is a reason kids are so messed up these days.

Did you just compare a child to a dog? Ok say your kid is in preschool, does the teacher need to call you every second of the day to ask if they can make your child feel better or to punish them? No. You logic is screwy my friend. Kids need interpersonal interaction with other people. It's healthy.

Teachers =/= strangers. By that logic, a kennel would have to call you every time they wanted to feed or walk your dog. A teacher is SUPPOSED to be interacting with your child, a random stranger does not have that same state of grace. That said, I don't agree with the analogy, since often children will be the first one to make an overture to a stranger, and then the parents get snippy if you DON'T reply, so you're not going to win with some parents no matter what.

My point was that if you ask permission for a dog, you should also ask about a child. Both a dog and a child have a grown-up with them that is repsonsible for the well being of them. That adult makes the decisions in both cases, and strangers shouldn't presume to interact without permission.

For example, when I was out with my nephew, a cashier approached him, talked to him, then offered him a lolly pop? Nice right? Wrong. He has a peanut allergy and I had to then say he couldn't have the sucker because it was made on equipment that processes peanuts.

Speaking to someone is not the same as offering them food. I wouldn't offer a strange animal food anymore than I would offer a strange child food, because I have no way of knowing what kind of diet they have, as well as allergies, like you said. Where is the line drawn with interaction? If a baby waves at you in line, do you seek permission before waving back? If a child asks you a question, do you look to their parents before answering it? Though I suppose that would depend on the question (ie if it were religion or something where you WOULD be overstepping your boundaries by answering it without consulting a parent first).

My god, kids need to be appreciated! If everyone just ignores the child, the child will be seriously ****** up. Children are not dogs either, that analogy just made me want to slap someone.

Well, children are not dogs in the sense that most dogs can be trained to behave properly. >.>; /joke But at the same time, children don't need to "be appreciated" by strangers. Yes you should allow your kid to socialize, it's good for them, but it is not a stranger's responsibility to help socialize your child. If I choose to ignore a child in line who's being annoying by asking every person who walks by something, I'm not setting the kid up for a lifetime of therapy, I'm making them aware of the fact that they're NOT entitled to everyone's attention just because mommy and daddy like to think they are.

how annoyed would you really be if one time in her life your daughter was called a princess? it's not like it's the message she's constantly hearing, it's just a one time quick fix for a little pout. key words here, "one time" I really hope you'd barely even notice it, let alone get annoyed.

If a stranger said it? I'd be VERY annoyed. That's just not something you say to a little girl you don't know. If it were a friend, I could certainly let it go.

Fail

My parents have called me their princess all my life even my friends called me little princess while growing up. I am super into charity, because a Princess must be generous. I went to Princeton because that is a fit school for Princes. Then Harvard Law. And I am engaged to a wonderful man that treats me and loves me like a queen. I read your comment and I have a lot of respect for what you are trying to do. However there are a lot of positive sides on being a " princess" and that is higher expectations.

Congratulations, you sound like a wonderful person (no sarcasm). There are lots of opinions on parenting, and the reason for that is because there is no "best" way to raise a child. Mrs. Bastard and I firmly believe in not calling our daughter a princess, and all these thumbs down won't change that. Our daughter is beautiful and smart, but she's also courteous and respectful. That's what good parenting does.

girls can take it to far, but little girls are conditioned to be "princesses". Do you let your children watch the old Disney movies? Beauty and the beast? Cinderella? Do you read them fairy tales? It's all about context. But You can be right. I was sweet Jessie in my family so I wouldn't be a brat.

OMFG DOC GOT THUMBED DOWN. RUN EVERYONE RUN THEAPOCALYPSE IS COMING

Frankly I'm a little surprised that it's getting as many thumbs down as it is, not that it bothers me at all. I stand by the way I raise my children. Mrs. Bastard was the one to come up with the idea, and I wholeheartedly agree with her. There is research to back it up as well.

Wow docbastard just shut up if you get annoyed over dumb crap like that.. Retard

I understand where you're is coming from but she was using Princess to compliment how pretty she was, not to make her feel she could have what ever she wanted. I understand what you mean but in a situation like this, I don't think it means much. And if this is the first time being called a princess, it won't really change her perception. If it made her smile, who really cares.

I don't call girls princesses because it teaches them from a very young age that they are valued for their looks, as well as teaching them that little girls should want to be princesses and like typically 'girly' things (eg they should play with dolls rather than lego etc). Young children often visit my workplace and, instead of opening the conversation with a comment about their clothing or appearance, I make an effort to ask what they've done today, or what their reading etc. They respond much more enthusiastically when they are asked a question that engages their mind.

I never really was called a princess nor will I ever be. Being a princess sounds like you have to be absolutely perfect, or that you are perfect. And I personally don't want to be perfect. I enjoy being imperfect. Yes I did want to be Belle at one point at life (when I was very little) but I'm happy I got through that stage. I was called a princess a few times when I was younger but people know not to call me that now because I dislike it so much. So I know what you mean docbastard.

I completely agree with Doc Bastard, but then I come from "salt of the earth"-type people. Among my relatives calling someone princess sounds like the absolute height of pretension. Humility is an important value for me and my family. Calling a child "princess" is a way of telling that child that she is better than others, which is stupid. Sure the child deserves love, but everyone does. She can earn herself a title on her merits someday.

Exactly. Even if though OP had good intentions, people forget that there a child predators everywhere/ in all shapes and forms. Then again, I would never call someone a "pedo" in a shopping centre!

Inappropriate? Are you serious? By your logic, Disney films should be X-rated because of their tendency to make little girls believe they are princesses.

A child watching a movie is completely different from some random walking up to your child and asking if they're a princess because they look so pretty , stay away from other peoples children and mind your own business it's a weird thing to say .

Ok so by yoru logic if you saw a crying child in the middle of the street you wouldn't stop to help,because it's "not my kid, not my problem." my god, I hope you never run into a child in need, they might not make it out alive.

That's a completely different situation then what Op was in and I sure wouldn't walk up and say you look like a princess because you're so pretty .

It's not a completely different situation... in either situation a child is upset and the person is attempting to make them feel better, whether by complimenting them or in the case of a crying child, determining why they're crying. You're acting like she went up to the kid and said, "Hey little girl, you're pretty, I've got some princess costumes in my truck that you'd look great in, wanna go?" instead of merely complimenting the girl in a way that she thought would cheer her up.

No in OPs situation the child was safe and with a parent and didn't need ops "help" I didn't say that made anyone a peso I simply think that's a weird thing to say and I wouldn't go around "cheering up" random people's children who are perfectly fine, you're all the ones reading into my comments too far and exaggerating

"Safe" and "With a parent" aren't always accurate when used together. No, OP had no obligation to cheer the child up, considering she was a stranger, but if you were at a bus stop and a random adult was quietly crying, would you (if you were socially outgoing) not ask them what's wrong, or attempt to cheer them up, regardless of the fact that you had no obligation to do so? The point is, the OP did nothing wrong. She didn't touch the child, she did nothing more than compliment them in a manner she thought would cheer her up, and she's basically being vilified because "how dare you speak to a strange child!"