Do you think I overreacted while dealing with this punk kid?

Question

The school is down the street from my house and I walk everyday to pick up my daughters. While we were walking home today I saw two boys hiding behind a bush and throwing rocks at some of the kids walking by. They were like 8 or 9 years old.
When I started walking by the same area, one of the boys came out of the bush and threw a palm-sized rock in my stomach from 3 feet away, laughed, and ran. I guess he thought since I am an adult, a woman who is a little overweight, that I was the perfect target. He was wrong.
I started running after him. Both of my daughters were surprised I could run so fast! I caught up with him across the street and pretty much tackled him against a fence. I had him by the jacket and he tried to hang onto one of the fence poles so, I pried his fingers off. I then got a better grip on the arm of his jacket and told him that he better bring me home to talk to his mother. I admit I was quite rough with him but, I didn't hurt him. Continued...

I started walking with him and insisting that he take me to his house. Of course, the excuses started. He was so sorry for what he did, he would tell his mother himself, etc. I told him that I didn't care and I still wanted to talk to his mother. That was when he broke free from my grip and ran off. I didn't run after him again.
Afterward, I thought about it a bit and realized that I assaulted that kid. But in a way, it was self defense. He threw a rock and could have seriously harmed me. I let the fight instinct get the better of me though.
I was wondering what would you have done if you were in a similar situation? Do you think the argument of self defense still holds up when dealing with a punk kid?
I am kind of angry that he got away without getting any sort of punishment. But, I wasn't able to get a name or address off of him so there is not much that I can do. What do you think? Thanks!

I wanted to add for clarity that he DID hit me with the rock and I have 3 witnesses that saw it, my 2 daughters and 1 of their friends. If I had not been wearing my new ultra-thick winter jacket, I am sure I would have a fist size bruise on my stomach right now.
Also, going into the school was not an option as we were at least 2 blocks away from it.
Sorry I didn't make those points clearer in my original post. Thanks!

Those saying that I should have went back to the school, let me clarify it once more. I didn't have the kid's name! Where we live, there are 2 schools side by side. So, we are talking about 2,000 students approx. I was supposed to walk back to school and say "Some kid threw a rock at me"? How would that have helped at all?
And I didn't make him run across any street. He was already running before I began to chase him.
I do agree that normally adults should not put their hands on a child. But, I only roughed him up a bit in a very potentially dangerous situation. It was a palm-sized rock. If he had thrown it at my head or one of the 3 little girls' heads then could have KILLED us or seriously hurt us.
Luckily, I only took the blow to the stomach. It made me glad I took the hit instead of a pregnant woman. Imagine if that had been the case? That could have easily been the scenerio.
I shudder at the thought that the situation could have been much worse. We were lucky that it wasn't!

Okay, it seems some people aren't understanding that we did NOT know the kid's name. There were 4 of us all together. My two daughters (6+7 years old) and their friend (6 years old). No one else around besides the 2 boys. None of the girls knew the boy's name.
And again, like I stated, I did not hurt him. I was only rough, probably scared him a bit. I'm a mother myself, I would never hurt a child. But, I saw it as a situation where someone could have been really hurt and I "fought" back.
We didn't have the time to cross the street and avoid the situation. It all happened in under a minute.
Now I won't keep adding details. I must seem like a blabbermouth by now! But, I just wanted to clarify it as it is hard to get out every detail of the story in just a few words.
Thanks again if you actually read this far!

Before I chose my best answer I would just like to write a conclusion.
When writing something over the internet it is hard to get across every detail. I got a lot of harrassment over this question, needless to say. Which I found rather hypocritical since I was the one being accused of being threatening and violent. The pot calling the kettle black.
Anyway, I wanted to make it clear that I never once hit this kid. When I said I tackled him, I guess I should have said I bear-hugged him. Neither of us were on the ground at any point. I pinned him to the fence by his shoulder, grabbing his jacket. I never slammed him against anything.
In a way, I agree that I assaulted him by roughing him up...only by holding his jacket. There definitely was no mark on this kid because the only time I physically touched his body (not his jacket) was when I caught up to him and bear-hugged him which lasted maybe 5 seconds before I spun him around and pinned him by his jacket against the fence.
Thanks!

Sorry, I forgot to add I also physically touched him when I pried his fingers off the fence pole. But again, I didn't hurt him.
Not worried about him having asthma or a heart condition..the kid seemed healthy enough while chucking stones and running off!

Answer 1

While I don't necessarily think it's a great idea to put your hands on someone else's child, I do think you taught the child a lesson and a lesson he needed to learn. Frankly, I'm tired of spoiled, indulged children acting like cruel little brats and their parents shrugging it off with an attitude of "kids will be kids". You might have done not only this child a favor, but his parents as well. What if this child had struck another child in the face, the eyes or the head? What if he had cracked or broken a car window or windshield?
Hopefully you scared him so badly that he will think twice before picking up something to throw at someone or something again.
You go, mom!

Answer 2

Hes a child youre an adult ..Although I thoroughly agree w/ you..but the law might not so just pray that you left no marks on him..He could get you in a lot of trouble..This world is really messed up when it comes to that../this..I feel for you very much so and totally agree that you couldve been hurt bad..from those rocks...He needs a lesson to learn obviously..and obviously has issues..maybe hes not paid attention to...enough..could be alot of things..Im really sorry this happened to you and hope that it doesnt happen again..to you or anyonelse...Im sure you scared him away enough for him not to say anything..But if anything does come about this...you have your daughters as witnesses..I still think you scared the **** outta him that he wont say nothin...and I also feel that maybe you doin what you did he learned a lesson..and wont do it again..because if he does..then youll come to mind everytime he thinks about it..that a given..so you take care and I do hope youre K...God Bless... Ill pray for an awesome outcome..;)

Answer 3

I think we (adults) are so scared , we only seem to consider the politically correct thing and overlook doing the right thing. I say YEAH.. and JOB WELL DONE by taking care of business. This mother reacted the same way many people would have reacted years ago and kids knew better then do things wrong. Now days they have NO punishment what-so-ever for this stuff. I hope the kid got his butt beat at home too.

If MY son throws a big rock at you you would have my permission to grab him by the back of the neck and bring him to me.. If he runs and you tackle him.. good for you for catching him... he'll not only be in trouble for the rock but for running..

Answer 4

I don't think you should EVER put your hands on another person's child. You could have really opened a can of worms for yourself. Yes what he did was wrong, and you should have corrected both boys throwing rocks, then walked the extra 2 blocks to report it to the school.

Basically, you made a kid run across a street, and shoved him into a fence. His parents could charge you with a number of things. It wasn't self defense, you could have walked away unharmed. Self defense is when the only way out of a situation is to fight back, which is clearly not the case here.

Answer 5

In future, carry a smnall instant camera around with you and if you see the little bastard again, snap his photo and then go to the school with it and file a report against him at the police station, That is assault and he can get into serious trouble, as well he should. And as you say, if that rock had hit a child in the head...

Answer 6

Marriage & Divorce is the perfect forum to be asking this question. Here is a cyber "slap" for still not getting it when it comes to posting on the correct forum. *sarcasm* Of course you should apologize to him for overreacting! Why would you slap someone because he isn't able to grasp a certain concept? How did the cyber slap feel? *lol*

Answer 7

Not bad! I think you would be off the hook if the kid pressed charges. Plead temporary insanity! You were concerned about the safety of your children and thought they were in danger. You could also file a counter charge of assault as you were struck as witnessed by your daughters.

However, in the future, having pined the kid to the fence, I would have called for help and turned him over to the police. Probably scare the hell out of him and his parents would definitively be be notified. Had you not caught him, I would still have called the police and filed a report.

As for the Karma idea... You were his karma coming back to haunt him. Since he assaulted you first, you canceled any bad energy you might have collected from the action.

Cheers.

Answer 8

Well... that DID teach him two lessons:
1) Never mess with adults.
2) Don't judge a book by it's cover.

I would admire you for the way you chased after him. You're right, he might have seriously hurt you and should be taught a lesson. What if he hit you daughter's head? Right?

But what I'm worried is if you did get to his parent's house and they turn out to be major *******, they might sue you for assault. And that you make things even uglier for you.

Just be more careful next time. ^_^

Answer 9

I think what you did was great. Teach the kid not to mess with anyone else. Maybe it scared him and he won't pick on anyone else again. I feel that some parents are too easy on there kids and that's why there are brats like that out there. In my opinion WAY TO GO!!!!

Answer 10

I think you did the right thing. Hopefully you taught this kid a tough enough lesson and maybe you stopped a future big-time bully from forming who could pick on all kinds of people or even do more.

You did great!