Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Adult telling 12 year olds to leave playground

254 replies

Wrenbird27 · 24/08/2024 19:17

This happened to my friends daughter. She was with her friends and an older man (~65ish) approached them and told them they were too old to be in the playground. He demanded that they leave before they broke equipment 'with their weight'. He was very persistent and a few of the girls were upset.

The playground was very quiet at the time - just a few other kids.

None of the parents of the 12 year olds were close by - a few of the girls phoned their Mums who arrived quickly but he was gone by then. He didn't have a child himself which the girls noted and thought was odd.

My friend says her daughter won't go there anymore. I think this is a pity as it was a safe area (I thought!) for them to hang out. If there had been more children in the playground they would have moved to the side but the girls said nobody was waiting to go on equipment. The equipment is very sturdy - I've seen adults sitting on swings in there before!

What should they have done?

OP posts:
menopausalmare · 24/08/2024 19:20

He sounds like a loonie. Playgrounds are for 12 year olds- if they were 15/16 and smoking and swearing, I'd say fair enough.

3peassuit · 24/08/2024 19:22

12 year olds are children. Far better for them to be having fun in a playground than hanging around shopping malls or at home in front of a screen.

ArtVandeIay · 24/08/2024 19:22

They should have said no, and if he continued to hassle them they should have shouted nonce or paedo at him in a loud voice, that tends to work round here anyway 😂

5475878237NC · 24/08/2024 19:24

I think it depends on how it was delivered, and whether truthfully they were actually being a public nuisance and/or there were younger children waiting to use the equipment for intended purposes and they weren't. I have told older children climbing up frames that are not meant for climbing, swearing and being generally annoying stopping people going down the slide etc to move away and let people who want to use it properly to have a go.

But yes if it was exactly as described to you, then that is so weird of him!

Beth216 · 24/08/2024 19:26

ArtVandeIay · 24/08/2024 19:22

They should have said no, and if he continued to hassle them they should have shouted nonce or paedo at him in a loud voice, that tends to work round here anyway 😂

What an awful thing to suggest.

OP is there a sign on the playground gate saying it's for under 10's or whatever only? It can be very intimidating for younger children if there are groups of teens/almost teens hanging round play parks. I don't think it's really a space for them and wouldn't let mine hang out there.

helpfulperson · 24/08/2024 19:27

Depends on the playground. We have some marked for under 5's and under 8's near us. So potentially they could have damaged equipment. And possibly parents of small children would be put off by older children.

timenowplease · 24/08/2024 20:49

ArtVandeIay · 24/08/2024 19:22

They should have said no, and if he continued to hassle them they should have shouted nonce or paedo at him in a loud voice, that tends to work round here anyway 😂

This. Old men have no business speaking to young girls in a playground.

Mebebecat · 24/08/2024 20:54

Well was it an under 12s playground clearly labelled as such?
If so good for him. A small childs playground is not somewhere for teens to hang about.

ShutTheFuckUpCakes · 24/08/2024 20:56

Yeah this is missing some context - what type of playground? If it was a toddler playground then tbf he was right!

TickingAlongNicely · 24/08/2024 20:59

My 13yo and her friends love the play park... and some other pre teens. They take turns, like everyone else!

Yesterday my 13yo has helping toddlers/preschoolers on equipment.

Her biggest desire is for a play oark just for 10-14yos with bigger equipment.

sunsetsandboardwalks · 24/08/2024 20:59

Lots of playgrounds have an age limit. Does this one?

soonandsoforth · 24/08/2024 21:15

I'd appreciate someone doing this at my local playground tbh. Any kids older than eight or nine are nothing but a nuisance in there. Young teenagers/ tweens are the worst.
On the other hand, I understand it's an awkward age and can see why they gravitate towards kiddy places like that. I'm sure I did it too.
I'm with him about the equipment withstanding their weight though. Local teenagers and grown adults keep breaking the zip lines because for some reason they can't resist going on them. They're too heavy so they get stretched out til they're too close to the ground. The cargo nets and bridges get broken quite regularly as well.

Stompythedinosaur · 24/08/2024 21:19

Unless it was a playground marked for a specific age group, they have as much right to be there as any other child.

CurlewKate · 24/08/2024 21:36

What was the age limit on the gate?

Thinkbiglittleone · 25/08/2024 20:12

A lot of play areas have toddler section then a bigger one for the "older" kids.
I think it depends on the age of the play area really.

And also the kids behaviour, If they were being rowdy and disrespectful, that's why they may be asked to move on.

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 25/08/2024 20:24

ArtVandeIay · 24/08/2024 19:22

They should have said no, and if he continued to hassle them they should have shouted nonce or paedo at him in a loud voice, that tends to work round here anyway 😂

That's an appalling suggestion.

itsallrosy · 02/09/2024 07:17

They are 12 year old children. They’re not teenagers as some posts suggest, or anywhere near adulthood. Of course a play park is entirely appropriate for them, and how odd that an old man finds it acceptable to go and harass some poor young girls who want to enjoy the equipment! I’d be horrified if they were my children, OP - and if I were the kids, I probably would have been scared to death!

Onethinnyatatime · 02/09/2024 07:23

Mebebecat · 24/08/2024 20:54

Well was it an under 12s playground clearly labelled as such?
If so good for him. A small childs playground is not somewhere for teens to hang about.

This.

mitogoshi · 02/09/2024 07:27

Depends a lot on what they were actually doing- eg hogging the swings? They are not going to tell their parents that.

The 11-14 year olds around here definitely have form for sitting in the park on the swings when little ones want a go, not actually swinging just sitting. By 14 they start going to the beach instead, no cctv there!

Livelyflatbread · 02/09/2024 07:28

ArtVandeIay · 24/08/2024 19:22

They should have said no, and if he continued to hassle them they should have shouted nonce or paedo at him in a loud voice, that tends to work round here anyway 😂

'Where do these kids get it from?'
The parents.

saraclara · 02/09/2024 07:29

It sounds as though they were perched on the toddler equipment to chat. No-one comes up to a bunch of 12 year olds for no reason. It might be an over reaction on his part, but I'd be encouraging her to be honest about why he would have said they might break the equipment. If they were sitting on in the little sprung items or the toddler swings, then it's better that they don't, for a variety of reasons.

CurbsideProphet · 02/09/2024 07:32

I wonder if the playground is paid for by the parish council and he is part of it? That's how the playground is funded where I live. We get 12-14 year olds hanging about the playground making rude comments and climbing on equipment not really meant for them. No one would bat an eyelid at someone telling off children for misbehaving/ damaging equipment, but it's different in a village.

Lincoln24 · 02/09/2024 07:34

I don't like to see secondary aged children on playgrounds aimed at younger children. Your daughter says no one wanted the equipment, but if I was with a younger child and saw a group of 12 year olds on a playground I'd move right on past.

Also @TickingAlongNicely Yesterday my 13yo has helping toddlers/preschoolers on equipment. Are you sure this was welcome, I'd find a random teenager getting involved with my toddler's play a bit odd.

5475878237NC · 02/09/2024 07:37

itsallrosy · 02/09/2024 07:17

They are 12 year old children. They’re not teenagers as some posts suggest, or anywhere near adulthood. Of course a play park is entirely appropriate for them, and how odd that an old man finds it acceptable to go and harass some poor young girls who want to enjoy the equipment! I’d be horrified if they were my children, OP - and if I were the kids, I probably would have been scared to death!

Children over 10 can be given an ASBO. Not sure where you have this idea that 12 year olds are all innocent pre teens.

itsallrosy · 02/09/2024 07:39

5475878237NC · 02/09/2024 07:37

Children over 10 can be given an ASBO. Not sure where you have this idea that 12 year olds are all innocent pre teens.

Show quote history

and I’m not sure where you have the idea that they’re all hooligans who are given an ASBO 🤣