Is it ever okay to discipline someone’s child?

This question is pretty much guaranteed to make any barbecue in Australia very awkward and will likely result in arguing.

Is it ever OK to discipline someone else’s child? It is a question that still divides Australians, with a recent survey showing the nation is split down the middle.

In a pulse suvery of 2000 Australians, to launch The Great Aussie Debate, news.com.au found 48 per cent of respondents said it was fine to discipline someone else’s child, while 50 per cent saying it was never ok.

The survey found that younger and older Aussies seemed to agree that you shouldn’t intervene with someone else’s child with the majority selecting no.

In comparison people between the ages of 30-49 were 43 per cent more likely to select “Yes, some kids are mega annoying”.

The people most likely to take the leap and discipline someone else’s kid are those in the age bracket currently raising young children. They were also more likely to recognise adults need to step in if the behaviour of the child is endangering themselves or others.

So while there’s a growing ‘no’ consensus among the young and old, middle-aged people are still divided on the subject, and they are the ones that are most likely in the parenting trenches and around other people’s children.

If children are behaving in a way that is engdangering themselves or others, it’s your duty to step in. Picture: Supplied

When news.com.au asked people on social media what they thought it unleashed a healthy debate around the topic and the responses were split.

A few Aussies said it was fine if the discipline was only “verbal”.

“Definitely not hitting them, but a chat is okay,” a woman commented, and her response got a few likes.

While other people commented that they felt the response was based on circumstances. If the child’s behaviour was dangerous or upsetting other people.

“Yes, if their behaviour is harming others,” someone commented.

Similarly, another commented that it was okay to step but only if the child’s behaviour was impacting you specifically.

“Yes if the parents aren’t prepared to and it is impacting yourself and your kids,” they advised.

“It takes a village to raise a child,” someone else pointed out.

While another made it clear that no there were no circumstances in which you should step in.

“Not at all. Let the mother deal with it.”

Would you step in if it wasn’t your child? Picture: iStock

Parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine said adults have a duty to step in if they see children acting in a manner that is dangerous to them or another child.

“That’s part of being an adult,” she told Weekend Today. “If you see children at the top of the slippery dip, and one is shoving another, and there’s no parents around, it’s your duty to step in and make sure the children are safe.”

But Dr McAlpine said people would do well to remember the real meaning of “discipline” is to “teach”, and any action taken should be with the goal of helpfully instructing the child, not punishing them.

Originally published as Is it ever okay to discipline someone’s child?