Overheard my neighbor telling her kid it's okay to hit back first

I was waiting for my laundry at the complex on 5th and heard her say if anyone pushes you, you push them harder. I've always taught my kids to walk away or tell an adult first, but now I'm wondering if that's actually setting them up to get walked on. Has anyone else had to rethink how they handle the whole 'fighting back' thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

alice_kim13d ago

Wait until you actually see your kid getting shoved at the park and realize "tell an adult" gets you nowhere fast... Teaching them to stand their ground firmly but without throwing the first punch has worked better in my house. Honestly, kids figure out fast who will just take it and who won't.

phoenix_carter13d ago

Yep, totally agree. I've seen that "tell a teacher" advice fall flat way too many times. Kids need to know there's a middle ground between running to an adult and throwing hands. My son got pushed off the slide last summer and he just stood up, looked the kid in the eye, and said "that wasn't cool, don't do it again." The kid actually backed off. It's like you said, they learn fast who will stand their ground without escalating. Have you had any situations where your kid had to defend a younger sibling or a friend too?