I posted earlier about smoking on playgrounds, and I was just thinking of something else that kinda annoyed me while we were there... This park is HUGE. It has a large play toy, several tire swings, 3-4 regular swingsets, a big field, climbing walls, and a 'toddler' playground with baby swings and an age-appropriate play toy. This is the coolest park I have ever seen! lol. We usually play in the toddler area, baby swings, and sandbox with my 10 month old. We only let her play on the slides and platforms when there aren't other kids playing, since it is listed for 2-4 year olds and we have to be on the toy with her for supervision, and to help her slide and all that fun jazz. While we were there, there was a period when there were no other toddlers in the area so we were letting my DD try to climb the stairs (Standing right over her, btw) when a herd of kids who were at least 10-12 year olds come tearing through. One of them actually knocked into me, and would have stomped on my DD's hand if I hadn't grabbed him and pulled him back. (Just stopped him, didn't yank on him or anything like that) They invaded the toddler playground, and pretty much kicked us off. (there was no way for my DD to safely play with them there.) I wouldn't have minded too much, but the big-kid toy really wasn't all that crowded. We just went to the sandbox to play instead, and waited for them to leave. It wasn't too long though, before what must have been a mother's group showed up with 6-7 toddlers in tow so the older kids left. My question is would you have said something to the kids in my situation? It really wasn't that big of a deal, because my DD does like the sandbox just as much as the toy, but still. They are 'too big' for the playscape, so would I have been within my rights to have asked them not to play so roughly? Usually, I can let my DD stay on the toy while the 'big kids' are on it, because they are old enough to be mindful of such a small child... but these kids were seriously rude (Like I said, one knocked into me.. they weren't watching where they were going at all.) I get that kids get 'caught up' in the moment when they are playing, and that's fine... but not on the toddler toys (IMO) Although, technically, my DD isn't supposed to play on them either, being too young... but the toys are aimed for small children, and she definitely can't play on the BIG ones. What do ya'll think? :)
I don't think you were being petty at all! Older kids just need reminders that they are too big for a part of the park they are at. And smoking is fine for others. You have an addiction I don't begrudge you that, but take it to the parking lot so others don't have to be invaded by it. But petty you were not. =)
Yes, I would say something, and I have on several occasions. I'm never mean, but I firmly say, "Hey, y'all, this area is for really little kids who aren't very steady on their feet yet, so could you please be careful or go to the bigger kid area?" I've never had an issue, and this has happened to me a lot at both our local playground and bouncy place. The most I ever got was an eyeroll from two 14 year olds who were making out ON the slide! They did leave though! It's actually a rare kid who will mouth off to an adult stranger when they know they're really where they shouldn't be.
how old kids are supposed to be to play on that area doesn't matter. i would have (and have) told the bigger kids to watch out for the littler kids. some of them probably have younger siblings, know this already, and just need a reminder. and to know that you are the mom that WILL say something. if they saw you as an authority figure who would expect respect then they probably would have given you and your baby some space. a simple "hey guys take it easy - watch out for the little ones." would probably have done it.
Personally, I would have pointed out my baby and asked them to be more gentle. I wouldn't try to make them leave, but I would expect them to be mindful of the kid (yours) who was there first.
I definitely would have said something. What if they knocked into her? What if she was badly injured? I have scolded kids in the past not only for my children but the younger defenseless babies as well. It's your right to say get off or hey be careful you could hurt my daughter. Trust me these kids don't like to get into trouble, and if they see that you are vocal most times they walk or run away. Be her voice until she has one of her own.
I've had this happen and have just said something like " whoa guys, watch out for the little ones here!" But I've also asked kids to take their game to the other play ground. It depends on the group and the game.
Just last week I had a group of kids around 9 or 10 years old on the 2-5 year old play structure and they were completely impeding the little ones from playing on it because. I just said... "If you guys are going to block the tunnels and the platforms for the little kids, can you take it over to the other playground?" The were fine with it. It almost seems like they don't even realize that they are in anyone's way sometimes.
I'm in that park a lot and know many of the kids though... most of the ones that have ever been disrespectful to me do it with their parents sitting 10 feet away obliviously talking to a friend or on their cell phone. That's a whole other post!
Of course you should say something, you aren't being petty when you remind children to follow directions. "it takes a village...." their parents weren't around but IF they are decent parents they would appreciate if you nicely told their children the sign says ....
I'm on the line of Julie K... I would've been like hey guys, you need to be careful tearing through here like that, there are little ones that are going to get hurt. Last night me, baby girl, and my dad were walking and these 2 kids (probably 10-11) came tearing through on four wheelers, they slowed down but one of them wanted to be cute and cut around and flipped up dust at me and my daughter (my dad was just out of reach, it was the way he looked at us, smiled, and the way he did it that it wasn't an accident), I was just like hey that's not funny, please don't be doing stuff like that. He looked pretty surprised that I would say something, in this neighborhood most people don't say "stop doing that" kinda stuff to kids... but with kids (or teens) I definitely am a lot nicer because they're kids, ya know.
@Julie B: Wow! Really?! On the slide? While people are there? LOL, funny how open teens (prbly some adults too) are sometimes with their business like that.
It would be appropriate to warn them nicely by saying "Watch out for the baby" or something along those lines.
I think you made the right choice by simply taking your child to the sandbox to play. There was really no reason to start any discussions with these young folks...and chances are they weren't going to listen to you anyway. It sounds like the parents were no where around so you didn't have anyone to go to and ask them to help you enforce the "rules".
The same sort of thing happened when I was at the playground at the mall ...my 14 month old and 3 year old grandson were playing in what is SUPPOSED to be only for children "up to 48 inches high"...there were at least a half a dozen children there who were MUCH taller than the stated limit...AND they were unsupervised which was another no-no. We just steered the boys away from where they were playing and stuck a little closer to them so we could intervene is trouble started. Some parents don't care enough to bother keeping control of their children and these children aren't used to listening to adults and you aren't going to have much luck talking to them.
OK, I think now you are pretty much being petty. You posted earlier about smoking there and now this post. No offense, but I think you are spending too much time thinking about the park and everything that happened there.
Of course you would have been within your 'rights' to say something to the kids, but they would have thought you were the mean ol' adult and would think that you shouldn't be playing on there either. I'm sure if you would've said something though, they would have calmed down.
"hey guys!! This toy is for children that are 2-4 years old...you look a little bit older than that."
I did this just last week at McDonalds while these HUGE kids played in the play toy and almost knocked over the young kids.
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I have told older kids MORE than once that the little play ground is for the little kids and if they want to play on it thats fine but they have to chill out
