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AIBU?

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AIBU to let my grandson stay on the swing

212 replies

GrannyMW50 · 01/09/2026 21:32

While I'm looking after my grandson (2 &1/2), it's my job to keep him safe and happy. I do want to teach him social skills (sharing etc)...but also that he's important & he shouldn't necessarily put other people ahead of himself (especially strangers).
So, when at the park, I allow him to stay on the swing even when there are people nearby waiting for a turn.

At a park today, there was a very vocal mother with 2 children. She came along about 1 minute after gs had got on the swing. One of her children got on the other swing while her 2nd child had to wait. She kept saying, very loudly, that other child had to wait until we finished. Until he complained enough that she removed her daughter from the swing to let him on (making her daughter cry). Why would she think it's ok for my gs...a stranger...to be upset by being removed for her children?
There was another (I assume) grandparent that had taken child from her pram to sit & wait right next to the swing for a turn. Why not go on a different activity while waiting? It just feels pushy!

My grandson had waited ages for a turn...but from other areas of the park..& went running over once the swings were free. What rules do other people go by...& do these change with children's ages?

OP posts:
HappySummerFun · 02/09/2026 20:56

if a kid isn’t ready to do turns don’t force them. Let them come to it when they feel ready

I'm afraid this doesn't fly in real life. Kids who hog stuff because they 'don't feel ready' to take fair turns with others will come to grief in the school playground where there aren't enough staff to hover over every child, or when they are old enough not to need constant supervision at the playground. Eventually some other kid will just push them off. Children have very strong ideas of fairness and limited patience.

Paddingtonsmarmaladesandwich2 · 02/09/2026 22:17

Happyjoe · 01/09/2026 23:55

Yes, nothing wrong with being bloody minded when faced with pushy entitled mums eh?
The mum had a swing. Is it the OP's grandson's issue that she didn't want them to share?

The fact is she made out in her initial post it was about her grandson having his turn etc when actually she has now admitted being bloody minded

pineapplecrushed · 03/09/2026 01:22

GrannyMW50 · 02/09/2026 15:02

Yes. This ⬆️ I've been reading lots of Montessori & I'm on some FB pages. Glad someone understands. Thank you 🙏

I don't think a small child must share their toy, or a toy they have started playing with in a play group, but having a limited time on a swing when there are other children is completely normal, and you are selfish for not limiting it if other kids are waiting. Toddlers don't need to learn about putting themelves first, they always put themselves first. They aren't middle aged put upon houseiwves.

Busybeemumm · 03/09/2026 08:45

FloridaCheese · 02/09/2026 05:36

What age do you plan to start teaching swing etiquette / queueing. 28 months? 29 months? 33.5 months? 58 months?

Surely Swinging etiquette starts at age 28.

Lavenderblue11 · 03/09/2026 10:48

GrannyMW50 · 01/09/2026 21:47

She was very loudly saying her son could go on when my grandson got off. She was absolutely trying to get me to get him off so her son could get on.
My point being, her daughter was upset...as would my gs have been had I let her push him off.

.... but your GS had been on his swing longer than the other little girl who was being asked to get off her swing so her brother could have a go. Completely selfish of you OP, you're teaching your GS not to give a shit about other people, especially as he had already been on the swing for '5/6/7' minutes. He'll turn out spoiled and entitled if this is how he is encouraged to behave.

Lavenderblue11 · 03/09/2026 10:54

Pinkchickenwine · 01/09/2026 22:07

Apologies, I should’ve quoted @WhatHappenedToYourFurnitureCuz

Haha, I thought this too! Very similar post to the one about the child who hogged all the toys during the play session at the local pool, and was encouraged to do so by his parent/grand parent 🤣

HJ40 · 03/09/2026 11:08

YABVU.

That was way too long when someone else was waiting. And it’s not about someone else being more important it’s about taking turns. What she said was fine. You were a dick. You should have said “one more minute” and then counted down the last five swings and given them a turn, and then queued up again if he wanted to go on again. Tough shit if he had a tantrum. You behaved very selfishly.

NovemberMorn · 03/09/2026 12:37

Parents allowing kids to hog swings is a real bugbear of mine.
Years ago, I took a friends 2 kids to the park. There are two swings, both were occupied. We walked round and my charges played on a couple of other things, then we went back to the swings after 15 minutes or so. The same little girl was still on one of the swings, her mother leaning on a post nearby scrolling on her phone.
A three or four other children were waiting; the other swing was being used fairly.
We got to 2nd in the line, and I called out to the little girls mum, 'Can your little girl come off now because people are waiting'...'No, she is enjoying herself,' came the reply....and she went back to scrolling.

The little girl, who was around 5, stopped the swing to come off, she obviously had more sense than her mother, Her mother started shouting at the little girl to stay on, her child started crying, and in the end mum stalked off with daughter following.

Polyestered · 03/09/2026 12:49

I will never forget a friend of mine, whose DD was on a swing and needed the toilet and a drink. There was a queue of about 3-4 other children - mine included. Child (aged about 4-5) got off the swing and went to the toilet / back to the table to sit down and have a drink. My friend - the mum SAT ON THE SWING HERSELF TO “PLACEMARK” her child’s space so she didn’t “loose the swing”.

i was absolutely aghast and I’ve never got over it 😂

her reasoning was that her child would hold her wee otherwise / not drink if she thought she would “lose” her place on the swing. Absolutely mental.

ThatHangryRubyReader · 04/09/2026 03:06

Polyestered · 03/09/2026 12:49

I will never forget a friend of mine, whose DD was on a swing and needed the toilet and a drink. There was a queue of about 3-4 other children - mine included. Child (aged about 4-5) got off the swing and went to the toilet / back to the table to sit down and have a drink. My friend - the mum SAT ON THE SWING HERSELF TO “PLACEMARK” her child’s space so she didn’t “loose the swing”.

i was absolutely aghast and I’ve never got over it 😂

her reasoning was that her child would hold her wee otherwise / not drink if she thought she would “lose” her place on the swing. Absolutely mental.

thats insane. Honestly I would be shocked as well.

Opheliamay · 05/09/2026 20:16

WhatHappenedToYourFurnitureCuz · 01/09/2026 21:58

Does your daughter take him to a swimming pool with watering can toys?

Hahah brilliant!

HelenTherese · 07/09/2026 11:52

GrannyMW50 · 01/09/2026 21:47

She was very loudly saying her son could go on when my grandson got off. She was absolutely trying to get me to get him off so her son could get on.
My point being, her daughter was upset...as would my gs have been had I let her push him off.

I don’t think she was. I think she was making sure that he knew that and also that she was being a good parent to anyone else listening.

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