I agree, but if there is a legitimate reason, the father could explain before he imposes.

If you have a good reason you ask first, because to not ask makes the assumption that no one else in the line has a good reason to object.

Perfect

Tried that, you get a look like you have assaulted them by speaking to them and told to mind your own business, and to not be so rude.
The trouble is everyone today has got used to the idea that they are always in the right, even when they are in the wrong, and that shouting loudly and acting offended is always justified.

@LenHazell53 and thats when I say it again, louder while using a mom voice, still with the smile & add "i'm sure it was an honest mistake & you would not want to be rude to all these people & their little children." Let them say something. I've been 5'1" my whole life. Height don't scare me & I've got something for them...besides a whole line of people behind me, a lot of them dads, who arent going to put up with bs. The parks in my area will boot line jumpers with a quickness.

@SallyInStitches
Arg not the mummy voice anything but the mummy voice!

@Silverwhisper Possibly - but THAT offspring would be about 30 by now ...

@Beach_slim not at all. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere warm to retire.

@RonHunt In my country I don't have a kid and I don't go to fairs. You're stifling my imagination.

@RonHunt Right - I would kung-fu the guy to the deck and marry the daughter, who happens to be Michelle Pfeiffer.

@gareth lmao!!!!!!!! I knew i liked you for a reason.

@Qualia I can only imagine it must be a very bad reason.

@Gareth You've got a wicked streak

@Gareth
At one time manners would have prevented anything like this happening in the UK.
Today the scenario would play out with the offender saying something like "don't mind if we push in do you?" while shoving the child in front of the smallest person at the head or near the head of the queue, who is usually too shocked to anything other than " what, no" which be taken with a nod of thanks and firmly pushing in of the adult too.
Should they actually have enough about them to refuse, or some one further back complain, the offender will go totally self righteous and say either "I wasn't talking to you, kindly mind your own business" or "Kindly don't embarrass me in front of my child," adding then to the little darling "You see Agnes this is what a mean rude person behaves like, you don't want to be like that do you?" or if all else fails will move to the next person forward and say, "Well since this person is being so utterly disagreeable and rude, you don't mind if I go before you?"
And will shove in their before an answer can be given, from someone thinking desperately, don't involve me in this.
Any further objections will be met with "Do you mind, you're frightening my child!" and a chorus of disapproval from the rest of the ill informed queue.

Ha! That's funny. And, seriously, in Louisiana, some confrontations would be like playing chicken.

@RonHunt if I am the parent pushing into line I am exhibiting rude and perhaps privileged behavior, if I am the parent yelling about this behavior I am exhibiting anger management issues. Neither of these behaviors are helpful to kids. I can't control pushy parent's behavior. I can only control my response to it. And if I take the course of action where I discuss it with my kid later rather than scream and yell because I'm pissed then I've provided a moment of dialog with my kid. If I teach my kid that yelling and screaming gets me what I want or calms me down I am also producing a privileged kid who will act that way too.

*insert laughing meme

@Gareth You think?

@josephr Oh! You're serious?

@RonHunt, Joseph sounds as if he's wise enough to know that being played for a sucker only works if the "sucker" cares. He clearly has more important things to concern himself with.

That’s called emotional intelligence. Nice.

@Gareth I'm very serious about the need to nurture our children to be the best humans they can be. As for being made a sucker, people who have known me would find that very funny. Standing up to stupidities is an ego thing, and a total waste of my time and energy.

@josephr Sorry. I genuinely thought you were joking.

@RonHunt, My thoughts are "horse shit" ? I've never before experienced that, on this forum. But, your aggressive rudeness aside, I can only reply that your response employs a shallow thought process and is devoid of logic. Ex., "A sucker is a sucker". For that to be true, we would all have to subscribe to the same definition of sucker. I doubt that you and I operate on the same ego plain, so that one is moot.
Your comment challenging Joseph's ability to respond when a situation calls for it, is little more than a nonsensical assumption that one must stay in training in order to "engage", whatever engage means.
Also, maybe you could explain how Joseph's background invalidates his thoughts on this matter? I'm sure that most of us would rather have his experienced advice.
Most of life's situations call for us to thoughtfully respond and not instinctively react.

@RonHunt, There are those of us who take every perceived affront personally, giving the jerks in life a double victory. We insist on suffering from the original insult and then we hand them our angry energy. So, unless you enjoy giving them that much of you, then, yes, you are a sucker. But, I'm going to ignore them, and go about my business, not giving them anything. So, who's the sucker? The one who got all angry and confrontational and "let him have it verbally", but still didn't "win", in your narrative, or the one who rose above the fracas and stayed happy and mellow?
I can tell by your response that you are either unwilling or incapable of comprehending the points I make.
Bottom line, I'm sorry for you that this very minor event seems to still be with you.

@Markus, @Gareth, @RonHunt @ellerdor Wow, i just came home and read this thread. I thank you all, and hope you’ll excuse me if i’ve used too many words in my answer, as i’m sometimes prone to do.

One of the challenges with social media is the need to assume intent from words. And we all know how often assumptions about intent are wrong; others have also misunderstood when i was being serious. So I appreciate when people articulate how they interpreted my words without attacking them, or me.
As for being a sucker, I have been conned, mistaken about people, or their words, and probably will be again. And that's ok, because what's the worst that can happen? That’s the key to me; making sure any risk is manageable, or irrelevant.

When a potential loss is significant enough, however, i put my ego aside, then trust but verify. I don't see a guy butting into line ahead of me as a life or death issue, and no, it’s not worth an iota of my time.

On the other hand, my daughter's needs would have been at the top of my importance list, so i would have to do what’s best for her. In this case, her interests and mine were best served by doing nothing in the moment, and then turning the episode into a learning opportunity for her. That would be my responsibility as a parent.

So my responses will always be consistent with the importance of the issue at stake.

As for being a sucker, I assume that you mean that a sucker is a person who has been conned. So i'd like to share a story with you which i hope will give you some insight into how i think, while answering some questions raised.

Many years ago i was on a Christmas vacation in Monterey, California and had wandered onto the Embarcadero with my girlfriend Karen. We stopped at a tent in which an auctioneer was doing his thing. I watched as every once in a while, the person who won the bidding would get the object as a gift, not paying a cent.

I watched the process for a while, and i thought i identified a pattern. So when a beautiful porcelain doll came up, a perfect gift for my upcoming niece's birthday, i began bidding. I won, had to pay over a $200 USD, and went storming off angrily with my overpriced toy.

I drove up to lookout in a rage, just ranting at the crooks and con men. When i jumped onto the parapet at the top, still ranting, Karen had had enough. She said something like, "you're yelling at those crooks but your ego is what's really hurting. You were conned, and that's something that's not supposed to happen to you, you believe."

She was absolutely right. It was my ego which was hurt when someone was so easily able to make a "sucker" out of me. How i handled it, emotionally, was to make some good out of my stupidity, or greed. So, as I was driving back through the downtown on our way to the hotel, i spotted a young woman with a child sitting on the sidewalk outside a department store, with a hat in front of them asking for spare change. I stopped the car in the middle of Monterey traffic, grabbed the doll, ran over to the child and gave it to her with a Merry Christmas and tears in my eyes. Any bitterness or resentment disappeared in an flash when i saw that little girls face light up with joy. It turned an emotional thunderstorm into a beautiful day. I hope I'm making sense.

And yes, Ron, I am a conflict resolution pro, but before i became a mediator and therapist, i was a professional negotiator and dispute resolution adviser to companies and organisations. So I know how people's responses to anything are directly proportional to how they've rated the importance of a loss, or potential loss. And those potential losses don't have to be physical losses, they can be emotional.

I don't know if i've answered any questions, or even if i've added anything to the conversation, but i thank all of you for the opportunity to reflect on something i haven't thought of for a very long time. It's why i enjoy this social media site as much as i do.

Unfortunately today arrogance is consider a virtue, by morons, of which their seems to be an unlimited supply.

@RonHunt Specially after the decision was already made. Like in ameriKKKa russia picked the president and then the polls were open to vote. Is that you putin?

@RonHunt Well Vlad, about the prostitute peeing tape.... A friend of mine will like to know what's your price. Asking for a nation... err, I meant a friend.

I would explain to my children that being autistic does not give her father the right to just push his way to the front of the line. Had the father asked if it was okay then the whole situation could have been avoided but no-one has the right to be rude or pushy regardless of their challenges.

@RonHunt Your empathy and compassion for other humans is overwhelming. Why is a number in a line so important to you? So you got bumped by two. So what? As they used to say, "Two wrongs don't make a right."
(but they add in NC - "but two Wrights make an airplane." )

I can see your looking to be right at any cost. I might not grunt if I had a broken arm and the guy shot in the stomach is pushed in front of me. Other then that.... that dad should asked if he could cut in line and explain his situation. Just doing it and showing a lack of respect for the others in line is asking for feedback and I would. I would say HEY MAN, what's the deal? If he turned around like he wanted to kick my ass... I might shut up.

@RonHunt alright brother.... you sound good here and i submit to your answer. I would speak up. Hes got his child with him. A bad ass doesnt take his kid anywhere. This guy is bluffing that hes bad... you call their bluff on their ego. If he turns around hes got everybody looking at him. He may meet up with you later and try something. I dought it.

You know, there is always an excuse and a what if. I had 2 kids who had a genetic condition, and were mentally retarded. ( that is what it was called back then. I don't know the PC term used today)My oldest daughter was healthy and normal. I raised them all the same. I expected good behavior at all times when in public. If, for some unknown reason, I needed to get them inside somewhere or get something for them that required standing in line, but could not wait, I would explain the problem and ask if we could get ahead in line. I never had to, but would never use them to but into line. All my kids had to learn manners and politeness. That included being patient. I also don't see why rudeness and crude behavior needs to be tolerated to avoid confrontation, hurting feelings, or fear of what will happen later. That doesn't mean you have to be as rude and boorish as they are, but it seems fine to be direct, address the behavior and not back down.