I looked it up, and it turns out in Germany you’re supposed to react (according to [this](https://www.focus.de/familie/eltern/kindergesundheit/gewalt-gegen-kinder-was-zu-tun-ist-wenn-ein-fremdes-kind-geschlagen-wird_id_11022439.html) you might even be obliged to).
Today i saw a mother hit her 3yo on the forearm (a loud slap, hard enough to leave a mark). Not that the reason matters, but the kid was trying to take her shoes off and the mom had enough. I completely understand the level of frustration the mom might feel (I also have a 3yo kid), but it was so casual that it seemed like a regular thing for the mom. She kept yelling at the poor kid until they got off.
I felt sick to my stomach and I ended up moving to the other end of the bus because if I stayed I wouldn’t have been able to hold back and back then I wasn’t sure if any reaction is ok in Germany.
Even having read the article above, I cannot imagine a remotely positive outcome if I confront the parent myself (regardless of the level of intensity/gentleness from my side). Any time I witnessed any sort of confrontation in public here it immediately escalated to yelling and I didn’t want that at all.
Has anyone tried doing so? What would you do?
by macchiato_kubideh