This park worker

[LittleBooInABox]

Today my son (7) and I went out on our monthly day together to a local farm/park area.

The day was going well we'd seen the animals and painted pottery. As we were walking back to the play area, my son spotted the zorb area, giant water balls. He said he wanted a turn.

I explained to him that he had to sit in the ball, while the man blew it up with a leaf blower type pump that was loud I explained this twice. We stood fairly close to the child in front being secured into the ball so my son could watch and see what would happen. He is a very nervous child. I asked again if he was sure he wanted to go on it. He said he was.

The man of about 20 (not sure it's relevant) called us over, I explained that my son was nervous but wanted to go on. Could we give it a go. He guided my son into the ball, told him to put his hands over his ears, placed the leaf blower type thing inside and started inflating.

My son started to cry, I tried to reassure him from out side the hall but he was having none of it. It was to loud for me to get the attendants attention by taking, nor could I reach the zipper to open the ball to retrieve my child. So I tapped him on the shoulder.

The man eventually stopped and my son is crying uncontrollably at this point. He wants to get out, doesn't want to go on anymore, and the man instead of opening the zorb says to my upset son "if you don't stop the tantrum I won't let you out."

At this point I push past him, open the zorb and hug my child, I ask the man his name and am so shocked didn't know what else to say.

Sat on the bench for twenty minutes calming my son. When I decide to speak to the manager whom apologises but doesn't look like she's taking the issue seriously. We stayed at the park and had some lunch but left shortly after because my sons confidence was knocked. He was worried they wouldn't let him get off other rides.

WIBU to call tomorrow and make a complaint with a more senior manager. Or am I being a bit sensitive about the issue? I just feel it's the wrong thing for a stranger to say to an obviously upset child.

[pinkdelight]

I wouldn't make a big deal about it myself. It was just a bad joke. Mind you I wouldn't have spent 20 mins calming him either. A quick hug and "told you you wouldn't like it, silly!" and then move on.

[missiondecision]

Sounds awful.
I would complain, the staff should be aware of how to treat nervous children and not be so fucking cruel. How dare he speak to your ds like that. I'd be upset too. However the person holding the leaf blower would have known there and then.

[NorthernLurker]

The man doesn't know your son and isn't responsible for him. This sits with you. It's not like he assaulted your child. I think you need to take a look at how you yourself manage your child.

[Saucery]

Park worker should be better trained to deal with children who might change their mind. He can roll his eyes as much as he wants quietly to himself but that what a horrid thing to say to your DS.
I probably can to complain though.

[JamieXeed74]

Why did you let your DC in that when you knew what it was like.

[IntheBenefitTrap]

I'm of a different opinion, some probably won't agree but I'd go ballistic. I have anxiety disorder and if anyone stopped me from getting out of somewhere that was making me uncomfortable, I'd be distraught. This was a small child who could be emotionally scarred from this experience. May sound like an overreaction to some but after experiencing terror like that myself, a lot, people need to be aware of their actions. Complain, definitely, making them aware of how it made your son feel. Hope he's OK now.

[Stickerrocks]

You don't know if the manager has ticked her colleague off or not. He made an insensitive comment, but it's hardly the crime of the century. Move on quickly to the next thing at the park & you may be able to stop your DS over thinking the situation. (Sorry, but we tend to be the sort of family that asks small children if they want us to chop off their leg if they graze their knees!)

[BandeauSally]

That's a really shit way to respond to a traumatised child. It doesn't matter why the child was crying or whether it was predictable or not, he needs training in how to deal with it properly if his job involves making loud noises round trapped children. Of course some of them will be scared! He needs to ask for some training for this scenario.

[krustykittens]

That was a very cruel thing to say to an upset child. I would complain.

[Funnyfarmer]

Was he tantruming though or just crying?
Could have been difficult to get him out safely while he wasn't calm? Baring In mind how strict H&S rules are especially around children

[Asmoto]

This is a 20 year old man, probably on min wage, and probably with no experience in dealing with anxious children. I suspect it's down to a lack of training, so I wouldn't seek to blame him directly if you do decide to complain - focus on the need for better training.

[muckypup73]

I am sorry but this lies with you, you know exactly what he is like so you should not have put him in that position and i am talking from experince.

[MerchantofVenice]

Bit bemused by the 'needs training' thing. Training to be a moderately sensitive human being, you mean? How much training do you need in order to not be an asshat to a distraught child?

[WhatToDoAboutThis2017]

YABU. He's a child; you're his mum. You should have known he wouldn't like it and stopped him from doing it.

[Morphene]

merchant indeed! more importantly, if you don't get it, what kind of training would actually get it through to you!

[ChasedByBees]

I think an important lesson to teach our children is that some people are just idiots. But most people are nice.

[Morphene]

Where do people learn the idea that the way to deal with a crying child is to threaten them with trapping them?

Is that what passes for education these days then?

[Serialweightwatcher]

This is a 20 year old man, probably on min wage, and probably with no experience in dealing with anxious children. I suspect it's down to a lack of training, so I wouldn't seek to blame him directly if you do decide to complain - focus on the need for better training.

^^This

Also agree though that if your child is a sensitive type, it wasn't a good idea to consider this type of 'ride' for him in any case - can you imagine if the ball would have been let go - he'd have been in such a state

[Sparklingbrook]

Maybe he wanted your DS to stop tantrumming so that he could get him out safely. Presumably there are procedures to follow.

[Morphene]

Also why do people think the best response to a child who is crying after a horrible scare is to brush it off, invalidate their feelings and force them to move on?

I thought letting children cry if they want to and listening to and validating their feelings was supposed to be more helpful?

[Tazerface]

I know children are all different, but he's 7. Not a baby. It sounds very much like you indulge his sensitivities instead of jollying him along which you absolutely should have done over something so ridiculous.

So YABU don't make another complaint. And start toughening up with your son. Sensitive is fine - over sensitive is not.

[Wanttobehonest]

Yabu. Fair enough say no he can come out now but complaining again the next day is a bit over sensitive.

[toobreathless]

Absolutely not on from the park worker.

But I really think you need to encourage your DS to be more resilient, it does not sound like you are handling his nervousness well but rather that you are enabling it.

[00100001]

Why did it take 20 minutes to calm him down?
7 year olds can be distracted and calmed down pretty quickly and talk about what happened later. Unless the adult is inadvertently making it worse by pandering