The child might have behaved badly by pushing someone in the playground, or they might have said a bad word or put themselves and others in an unsafe situation.

People often ask themselves whether it becomes their responsibility to pull the child into line? Or, if the parent isn't there and I'm the adult, is it my job to put the boundaries in place?

But, leading Australian parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson, and father of six daughters, said the first question adults should ask themselves is what is discipline.

"Most Australians misunderstand what discipline means; most Australians think it means we're supposed to punish someone else for doing something that we don't like," Dr Coulson said.

"But that is not discipline, that is using power to hurt someone.

"True discipline is about teaching, guiding and instructing; it's about helping not hurting."

Dr Coulson said it is "absolutely" the responsibility of adults to help guide and instruct everyone, but it is really important for people to consider how they will achieve this.

"If a child is doing something challenging, we don't yell at them instead you tell them 'you seem to be having a hard time, can I help with anything'," he said.

"That will achieve a far better reaction and will also change behaviour instead of a punitive, angry or aggressive approach.

"If you're asking me if it's OK to hurt another person's child, the answer is absolutely and unquestionably no. There is no excuse."

However, Dr Coulson said if someone is in a dangerous position then people have a responsibility to intervene.

"If you're asking if we should involve ourselves in challenges children are having, my response is to see if they can figure it out themselves," he said.

"But, if intervention is required because somebody or something is going to be hurt or damaged, I think we have a responsibility to involve ourselves."

Local comedian and single father of three boys Gavin Comtessi said he would be upset if a parent chose to discipline his children.

"My question would be, why didn't you just come and speak to me," he said.

"There would be no drama if they stopped the behaviour and then came to me, but putting hands on my child or threatening or being loud with vocals would not impress me."

Mr Comtessi said it all depends on the situation and environment.

"If you're a sporting coach, parents have entrusted you and by all means I'm happy for them to address it, same as teachers in schools, provided parents are notified," he said.

"Stopping a kid from committing a crime or in an unsafe situation should be addressed, but I certainly don't advocate approaching or berating them, as I think it would just open up a can of worms.

"It again involves addressing social behaviour and saying to the child it is not OK and then asking them where their parents are; if you don't address that behaviour you don't know what it could lead to."

Similarly, Wagga parent Marion Jones said she is "strongly" against people disciplining other children.

"I don't feel other people have a right to chastise or discipline your children, because it's not your job," she said.

"Our job as parents is to teach rules, manners and routine and not to be perpetrators.

"I don't agree with smacking, it's not a way to discipline children, it's not acceptable and I certainly wouldn't tolerate anyone smacking kids as there are plenty of other things you can do."

Ms Jones said as soon as a parent raises their voice at a child, they've lost.

"You don't know what other children have been through and my son has friends over all the time and they know the rules and boundaries before they even walk through my door," she said.

"You have to teach children to respect elders from a young age and society leads by examples.

"I had a great childhood, I wasn't smacked and I knew my boundaries and my barbies were taken off me if I behaved badly and I would be told what I did wrong and explained why."

Relationships Australian CEO Elisabeth Shaw said this is a "tricky" topic, where there are many variables.

"Discipline can perhaps be anywhere from a disapproving look to a much more behavioural intervention, like going up to a child and giving them a slap on the bottom," she said.

"Adults watching poor behaviours or unsafe behaviour of a child can have a range of responses, from none of my business through to I'm an adult and I'm seeing something that is not good or is affecting my own family.

"If it's unsafe behaviour then there's a greater call on adults to react because otherwise they are witnessing something with moral implications."

Ms Shaw, a clinical and counselling psychologist, said it is important for adults to ask themselves how they can be a responsible adult in this situation.

"In a society where we do too much of it not being my business, that is when bad things can happen," she said.

"If the parent is around and choosing not to act and if you were to get involved, it could lead to a poor outcome or make things worse for the child, as it might shame the parent who then takes it on their child, or the parent could then turn on you in front of their child.

"If the parent is there and appears to have no regard, sometimes the best thing you can do is to remove yourself from the situation."