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Vox ·Smart escape

How to Deal with Other People’s Kids

by Allie Volpe

Published 2026-07-08 07:00:00-04:00

How do you say no to a child when their parents are standing right there?

0:00 / 13:07 · Narrator Gacrux

Context

A story published by Vox on 8 July 2026 opens on a familiar, slightly uncomfortable scene: an adult quietly dreading the demands of a friend’s toddler at the park. Interacting with other people’s children has turned into a quiet social standoff. As modern parenting leans toward constant supervision and gentle correction, friends and bystanders are often left guessing the rules of engagement. The situation prompts a very practical question. When did setting a basic boundary with someone else’s child become so fraught?

Show notes

A guide to setting boundaries with other people's children, drawing on interviews with psychologists and etiquette experts. The advice covers three common situations: kids who misbehave in your home, kids who demand constant attention, and kids having public meltdowns. It explains when adults can step in to enforce rules, and when they should leave discipline to the parents.

Read on Vox →