Who Can Discipline?

Who has the right to discipline another's children? The grandparents, aunts and uncles or no one but the parents? When my children were young, I always felt it was up to me and their father to discipline them and didn't want anyone else touching them. But then again, what was discipline in my day is now child abuse! However, not a lot of things annoy me more than when parents bring their children to someone else's home and let them literally run the house and won't do a thing about it. So many of the young parents feel it will actually kill them if they have to give the child a time out or, Heaven forbid, a whack on their little butts!

I have this dilemma with my 2 ½ year old grandson. This little guy walks into my home ready to point his finger in anyone's face that happens to get in his face and tell them off in a way that is unbelievable. He's mature for his age yet rude, disruptive and very sassy. All his parents continue to do is say "Jonas please don't do that." for the entire duration of their visit. After all, we don't want to embarrass Jonas or make him angrier or permanently damage his self esteem. But, what about damaging what could be a wonderful relationship with his grandmother?