“I’m not a park mum”!

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I’ve come to the realisation that I’m just not a “park mum” 😅

I try, I really do… but I end up feeling overwhelmed more than anything. The noise, having to constantly be “on”, keeping an eye on everything, making sure they’re safe, engaged, not wandering off it just feels like a lot.

I see other mums who seem so relaxed, chatting away while their kids play, and I honestly don’t know how they do it. Meanwhile I’m counting down the time until we can leave without it seeming too soon.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who finds it a bit much?

It was all about nature and ducks for us. With a good measure of jumping in puddles when it was wet. -wellies and waterproofs then strip off in the car.
the playground was less of the attraction.
could that be more your thing?

Park is fine

Softplay I tend to avoid at all costs

The best option of all is a mountain walk. Daughter is 4 now so no more than 3 miles or so but with beautiful scenery. That way the whole family can enjoy the activity rather than just one person.

Surely the playground is dog free? Every playground I am aware of is.

I hated parks.

Yeh I basically second everything that Jen Brister said 😂

Also I HATE, hate the kids swimming lessons, cannot wait until that life skill is ticked off the list. Anyone would think it's a benidorm swimming pool with the amount of chair hogging that goes on.

Same. As a mum I hated the park. Its hard to believe that one place can have you both on the edge of your nerves and bored to tears at the same time. I'm now a grandmother and thought that the extra patience and calm I've acquired over the years may have made it more tolerable. But no.

I had to do something every day with DS as he was a bundle of energy so even on the worst day a park trip was worth it for me. Playgroups worked well too but I would generally also drop into a playground before going home unless the weather was awful.

You know the saying about how an introvert makes friends, that an extrovert finds them, likes them, and integrates them into a group? That's sort of how it worked for me, I had a friend before either of us had DC. She had a baby and had a group of friends from her NCT group and various baby groups. We adopted DS who was almost the same age as her DC and so I just got slotted into her group. I didn't live far from Greenwich park, which is lovely, so there would often be a few of us there. Sometimes we'd grab sandwiches from M&S and have a picnic. DS would be exhausted and fall asleep in the pushchair on the way home.

I agree OP, parks and soft play had me on edge

I don't mind it these days. It's quite a social thing for us.

The youngest is now 8 so they're more than capable to go off and do their thing (I have a Y6 child too) and I get to have a natter / absorb some vitamin D.

Only works when we go with company though. Either play-dates or lots of people from school just head to the park when the weather is nice.

When it's just me and two kids (oldest wouldn't be seen dead in a park now) they tend to just sit and stare at me!

I'm not a fan. We have to walk past ours on the way home from school so the DC nag but after school is so sociable and the youngest wants to be there but gets overwhelmed by all the noise so gets upset but doesn't want to leave. And she is still at the cling to me stage 🙃

Oh God, I think I blocked swimming lessons from my mind due to the trauma! Yep, I hated them too. I remember one poor mum who had about four kids in different classes, who used to use the microwave in the eating area to get dinner into her kids at a decent time in the evening they all had classes. She looked exhausted. The way noise is just amplified to drill through your head, the stink of chlorine, the frenzy over cubicles in the changing room, and lugging what feels like a hamper of laundry around with you in the winter, trying to keep it out of the dirty water on the changing room floor, while sweating profusely!

I used to take a book.

I liked it as I was at work a lot so it was great to be with kids at the park when I got the chance, hard when it was cold though.

How old are your kids? You should find a nice safe enclosed park where they can't get into any mischief, it's much more relaxing

Do you have a diagnosis of Autism, OP? I’m only asking as you’ve mentioned two traits of autism (I have a DD with it), the socially awkwardness and the noise overwhelm

And why are changing rooms always FREEEEEEEEEEZING?! Regardless of the temperature outside. You get out of the pool like 🥶

Once my child was old enough (prob around 4 or so but she’s quite tall so could climb/reach quite early) I quite like it. I don’t mind on a nice day. If i go with other mums it’s a nice way to have a chat and pass the time. On my own it’s boring unless it’s a fancy one with ice cream van or something. But i like DD getting exercise and being outside and she loves it when there with her pals. Taking her on her own was a bit of chore due to having to be more involved with play etc. We have play/climbing equipment in garden now so she’s happy to be on that with friends a lot more, but it’s a nice alternative sometimes and a cheap play date if friends go. I much prefer bikes and being active outside in other ways, but it’s a good second option

No I was the same, still take them but it's stressful and also boring, if that makes sense! I'm not an outdoorsy person but have been forced to be, by having kids 😄

I don't know, I loved it, it entertained him so easily, once he was a little older I just had to be there really, so I found it relaxing

YES! Trying to towel dry shivering kids who do not want to take the towel off to get dressed once they have warmed up!

What’s a park mum? Is it a playground? I think of a park as a wide open grassy space.

This thread is fascinating to me- I love the park!

I’m about to go for a run in the park while my DC vegetate on the PlayStation….i was just thinking how much I miss the days when they’d jump at the chance of going.

I used to sit with a book or my phone while they enjoyed themselves

slightly more ambivalent about soft play. But I loved that kind of thing as a kid, so I have a warm feeling thinking about them. I just wish they had them for adults!

I used to love meeting my mum friends at the different parks during the school holidays.

Same!
I had a sand eater and four intrepid climbers. I got them tricycles, skates, and bikes and let them ride an old cot mattress down the stairs for their daily dose of excitement.

I don't mind the park if I'm going with other mum friends so there are children my DC's age that they can play with. Our park actually isn't bad, it has a coffee kiosk and lots of seats.

I absolutely hate going to the park by myself with just my DC. It's boring and the last thing I feel like doing is "watching" my DC do "tricks" and random running or jumping or my worst thing -having to "play" on the equipment in some long winded imaginary game. I've brought you to the park because I'm fed up of playing pretend. I'm overstimulated because all they have done is argue with each other, whinge or create mess at home. I just want you to run round and play by yourself (and tire yourself out) for a bit.

I feel like parks are much more natural "dad" or "male relative" territory. For some reason all the men in my life adore the park and find any excuse to go on the equipment. Same with soft play, all the mums sit and have coffee, the men always seem to have found a way to "have a go" on the soft play.