Going to a playground without children?

I think its odd that anyone without a child
would enter a fenced off gated designated children’s play park to sit on a bench and watch random children play.

Id actually take my children and leave.

You’d probably end with a group of teens coming and harassing the adult out of the park for being “noncey” after a short while anyway. With added video on tiktok no doubt.

An unaccompanied woman wouldn't bother me at all- I'd assume she was meeting someone or just fancied hanging out in the playground. An unaccompanied man would concern me more, but I also think there are plenty of people (male and female) who like to see children play in a completely non-dodgy way. It's sad that we have to assume the worst, although I can see why.

On the one hand it’s a public space and they are entitled to sit there. On the other it would make me feel uncomfortable, especially if it was a lone man, and I’d probably take my children away and find a different park.

Yes it happened to me last week. A lone man was sitting in the playground I didnt know he was alone I assumed he was with his children. He approached me and asked if I was married I asked him to leave me alone, he left the park alone so I found out he was a creep in the kids playground looking for women. Creep

Yes I find it very odd, only last week there was a man in the children’s playground on his own and he approached me and asked if he could ask me a question. I thought he would ask me something kids related but he asked if I was married I asked him to leave me alone. He left the park so thats how I found out he was without a child in the park, total creep.

I mean you can ask a polite question but why film it and embarrass someone online for a few likes? It’s unkind. I’d be more suspicious if it was a lone man, that isn’t sexist to say. Men are statistically more likely to be predators.

I mean you can ask a polite question but why film it and embarrass someone online for a few likes? It’s unkind. I’d be more suspicious if it was a lone man, that isn’t sexist to say. Men are statistically more likely to be predators.

Of course they wont be

I assume the poster meant that all the children in the playground will have an adult with them. Which means the adult sat on a bench isn't alone with lots of unsupervised children.

What's no unaccompanied children got to do with an unaccompanied adult

Most playgrounds have signs on them saying no unaccompanied children. I could see the appeal as no dogs and some people are afraid of dogs.

This is my thoughts too. Terrible to have to think that way but a woman can get away with it more than a man.

This!

It’s odd to go and sit in a gated children’s play area, especially a gated one, when you don’t have children. Very different to a public field where there happens to be a park on it.

Of course it could be innocent and it probably is, but it’s odd nevertheless. I assume even those who say it’s ok wouldn’t do it themselves though? The reason being is that it would raise eyebrows so you wouldn’t put yourself in that situation.

We had a lady that just came in to sunbathe. Slightly odd , but fantastic tan.

I doubt they would have bothered to confront the woman unless it was a drugs issue.

Ive had it where a childless man was in the playground filming other kids playing and purposely dropping things as an excuse to keep coming back. The other dads in the play park were oblivious, including DH, so me and a gran and another mum basically had to deal with getting the guy to leave. It was really creepy and sketchy.

Yes, I agree. We all know that there are some deeply undesirable people out there, with evil proclivities; but it's very sad that we now almost refuse to accept that adults might enjoy watching young children enjoying themselves - without the slightest inappropriate thought whatsoever remorely going through their heads.

People - even men - coo and smile at babies, because they are cute and naturally bring joy; obviously we always need to be on our guard against bad people, but why do we assume that everybody finding young children adorable - a natural human instinct - must/very likely has bad motives?

How do you get out of bed in the morning?

You are probably right but I have spent the last 15 years in playgrounds and all I want is quietness now. Maybe one day I will want noise again.

In a public park you might have a dog run over to you, whereas in the pay area where it's fenced this is very unlikely. People may find it more relaxed from that point of view

It’s the ‘confrontation’ aspect which is bad in the OPs instance.
Surely in most cases you could just engage the person on the bench in conversation and figure out from that if they’re benign or suspicious?
If there’s someone you wouldn’t want to try talking to (in which case ‘confrontation’ could be a very bad idea) and you’re worried then call the police - non emergency number unless you’re very seriously worried .

My gran used to do this all the time with her dog.

It was because all the other benches in the park were in remote, cut-off spots where she didn't like to sit alone so she felt safer in the kids playground where there were people about.

She was widowed and had 5 children of her own so I think she felt comfortable and at home amongst the noise and children playing.

There really is no rule that you have to have a child with you to sit on a bench in a playground. The lady may have needed to sit down and the bench was the nearest one, she may have wanted some space away from dogs, she may have been reminiscing about her children/grandchildren, she may just enjoy seeing children play.

The world is going absolutely batshit.

this always happens but i usually don't care people can sit where they like it's a public space - I confronted one guy because he was smoking though right next to the bloody swings! he did apologise and leave.

Another man came in and fed a load of pigeons and they swarmed into the playground and were pooing everywhere - i said something to him as well but he was a bit of a nutter and didn't really seem to give a shit !

Pretty odd. Our two children's’ play area both have signs saying nobody over 14 unless supervising children or something to that effect.