Newsflash: Toddlers crack the shits. And often in public.
Yes, it can be annoying for everyone around the screaming tot. But does this give strangers the right to film the public meltdown?
One Auckland mum was recently put in a pretty awkward situation after a stranger started filming her son’s public outburst.
The little boy was at the shops with his grandma when the toddler tantrum happened. While some of the people around tried to console the obviously distressed child, one woman watched on, casually taking out her phone and pressing ‘record’.
Later on, when grandma relayed the story to the little boy’s mum, the mum was horrified. And most likely creeped out.
“It was a complete invasion of my son’s privacy,” the mum explains. “I just immediately became really upset. My son was out of control, in a distressed state.
“What was the purpose of [filming him]? I’d like to think it was just a lapse in judgement.”
Caught on camera
The mum was able to track down the woman and confronted her, asking her WHY she had filmed her son’s tantrum. She asked her to delete the footage from her phone and hoped it hadn’t already made it to social media.
“She was apologetic for causing upset, but it seemed she still didn’t realise what she’d done,” the mum told the New Zealand Herald. However, the woman did delete the footage and explained that the only reason she filmed the toddler tantrum in the first place was the “show her own daughter”.
Isn’t it illegal to take photos or film a stranger’s child?Â
Not in a public place. In a public place over in New Zealand and here in Australia, strangers are allowed to take photos or even film other people’s children. Of course, there is going to be A LOT of grey area around this law, but, legally speaking, the woman was within her rights to film the little boy and his very public toddler tantrum.
Morally speaking, however, is a whole other story.
Sure, we’ve all taken out our phone to film our children’s unsavoury moments every once in a while. Even Drew Barrymore has done it before. Hell, I did it today but simply to show my partner just what I’m up against when he’s at work.
But when a stranger does it, it just doesn’t seem right. Does it? What do you think?
If you are struggling with toddler tantrums, whether at home or in public, here are some helpful ways to calm your child down. No filming required.
