To let my son go skateboarding in the park?

[Himalaya]

My son (12) and his friends like to go skateboarding in the park in our slightly up it's own arse commuter belt cathedral city.

Sometimes he will come home and say they've been told off for skateboarding by adults, who have occasionally called the park patrol to come and tell them to leave. We've checked the park rules and they don't say anything about skateboarding. I've told him, and he swears that they are considerate and dont skate where it would get in any one's way.

When we've been in the park with him the park patrol has never told him or us no skateboarding.

My son's view is that adults are just prejudiced against groups of boys in hoodies, which I'm sure is part of the truth although I can't be 100% sure that there is no obnoxious behaviour going on from the kids side.

I've told him as long as they are considerate they have as much right to recreation in the park as anyone else. AIBU?

[worraliberty]

YABU if you're saying you can't be sure they're not being obnoxious.

No matter how 'up its own arse' the place is, it's very unusual for anyone to go to the bother of calling the park patrol and getting the boys throw out for absolutely nothing...especially if quietly skateboarding in and minding their own business is not against the rules.

Add to that, it's happened more than once and I'd say there's something going on that they're not telling you.

[HecateGoddessOfTheNight]

Are you sure they aren't being pests without them really realising it? People don't generally go to the trouble of calling park patrol for no reason. And it's not just once this has happened, but a few times?

Are they noisy? a big group? Are they sure they aren't getting in people's way?

I think the best thing would be to contact this park patrol yourself and get clarification of the rules.

And yes, as long as they aren't a big intimidating gang being unreasonably noisy and ruining other people's enjoyment then they have every right to be there.

[HecateGoddessOfTheNight]

x-post worra.

[ChippingIn]

Just to go against what the others have said, some people will call park control or the police just because kids are doing something they don't approve of. Skateboarding seems to have become the latest never did that in our day gripe.

They have put posts/rails up to to stop the 'skateboarding hooligans' in our street. They are a small group of young boys (about 6-8 of them, aged about 10) who play out there on their skateboards. They are certainly not hooligans (all pleasant kids who stop if there's anyone with a pram or a dog or anything) who say 'Hi' etc. However, some of the neighbours decided to get this done as the 'skateboarding hooligans' were ruining the neighbourhood

Pathetic - and I told them so.



Himalaya - does your DS carry a phone? If he does, I would tell him to nicely ask the park patrol to ring you and talk to you as you can't find anywhere that says skating is not permitted in the park and you want to get this sorted out. Just make sure he understands that he must do it without any attitude :) But no, YANBU allowing them to go to the park to play!

[Himalaya]

Worraliberty, Hecate - I can't be sure they are not being obnoxious, because I'm not there, and they are a bunch of teenagers.

But one thing in their favour is that no one has ever complained about them/ told them off in any of their other hang outs - local parks, recreation grounds, but this park is a bit more historic & picturesque so it does seem like they are spoiling the view in this particular location, which is a popular hang out for teens.

Chippingin - yes trying to get him to stand up for himself without attitude is the thing I'm working on. I think your phone idea is a good one.