It's just a toy

I try really really hard to keep my mouth shut when I see what I deem to be bad parenting unless it is to a level where social services needs to be called. I could not yesterday.

We were at a local indoor play area with lots and lots of children. The mom i n question (we will call her shorty because she has a very short fuse) was having trouble dealing with her son and his toy. Shorty yelled at the boy to not throw the toy. Fine he could hurt someone. I kept my mouth shut. She yelled at him to be careful he was going to break it. Not so good but I still kept my shut by gritting my teeth. She lets him keep the toy and continue to play with it. Next she yanks the toy out of his hands and proceeds into a five minute rant on how he was breaking the toy. The rant was only five minutes because I interrupted.

It is only a toy. Toys are meant to be played with. If they get broken then they get broken. So be it. I am all for warning a child that the path they are on will likely break the toy and it won't be able to be fixed. But if they do then so be it. If a toy is not allowed to be played with or broken then it should not be given to a child. We should not yell at children and certainly not for playing with their toys in a manner than does not injury someone.