I have no issue with other telling my children to stop a behaviour which is dangerous or harmful to others. If my child is in someone else's home, I expect them to abide by their rules and I expect the same of children visiting my home. It might be ok to jump on the couch at your place but it's not ok at mine. However, i do 'tone it down' if I am enforcing a rule in my home with someone else's child, as a PP said. I would never yell at someone else's kid and I expect the same of other parent's towards my own children. A simple 'please don't do that, we don't jump on the couches here' is fine. I would never punish someone else's child and I would be horrified if someone punished mine. I would also expect to be given the opportunity to discipline my own children if I am present. However, if a kid is at my house, jumping on my couch and the parent says nothing (maybe it's ok at their house!) I will still speak up. If my children misbehave at someone else's home, I'll be right onto it. I dislike strangers in public places disciplining my children unless the issue is a safety one. I would have no problem with someone at the park saying 'You need to share the swing, could this little boy have a turn now' if my kids are hogging the equipment, but I would not like someone to tell my child in a cafe 'you shouldn't slurp your milkshake, it's very bad manners'.

A lot of posters have said that they are fine with other people disciplining their children as long as it falls within the bounds of their own parenting philosophies, but how does a stranger have any idea what your philosophies are??