“I’m not a park mum”!

[cookies79]

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?

I've never been a comfortable temperature at the park. It's either icy wind or boiling hot.

If you have decent age gaps you can get away with older children keeping an eye on the younger ones and that's when you can relax and bit. I was pleased when I didn't have to pretend to be a pirate constantly when my dc1 took over!

I hate it 😄😄😄

Dd is autistic and its just us, so its me playing with her and making sure she is safe

And all she wants to do is go on the swing, so I get armache

I wouldn't mind so much if I could just sit down for 5 mins while she plays

Comee on, there are plenty of aspects of parenting that may not particularly interest you, or may stress you out, but going to the park is just one of those parenting things you need to do. Focus on your children, supervising them and smiling and encouraging them when they shout "Watch this, Mum!"

You don't need to interact at all with anyone else. I never did. Ocasionally I went with my sister or a friend, and their children, but usually it was just on my own with them.

How old are your kids OP? I think park is awful when they’re very small and need you in close proximity all the time and bloody excellent once they’re old enough to charge off with their little friends while you sit on a bench and enjoy the quiet 😆

I’m definitely a park mum. Hate soft play but the park is not remotely the same!

I liked parks and still like them. Can't imagine how I'd have managed early parenthood without them tbh: I would go stir crazy if I couldn't get out of the house for a bit.

Why overwhelming? I can understand that it gets a bit draining after a while but what's to be overwhelmed by?

Yep, totally the same. I enjoyed the park but found soft play horrendous, and would avoid it at all costs. I’m normally a pretty relaxed mum, especially by the time I had my 3rd child, but soft play turned me into a nervous wreck, add in the smells of sweaty feet and greasy food, the endless echoing screams and floroescent lighting and it’s my idea of hell on earth.

I preferred mine out in the park. They were not indoors children and there are less things to wreck in the park.

I love the park most of the time. Fresh air and no mess to clean up is great and I often meet friends there. However, DS1 went through a running away phase at 3 and now DS2 is starting with the same thing, at exactly the same age... chasing runaway children isn't my idea of fun!

There a fantastic woodland playground near me that's my favourite if I'm with DH or friends. It has cool play equipment but also loads of branches and things for den building. That one makes me nervous on my own though.

I hated it! Every second of it. My heart used to sink when my DDs said they wanted to go to the park. I hated the standing around and the anxiety that they were going to hurt themselves (I broke my arm in a playpark when I was little) and dealing with other people's entitled little darlings 🤣 I endured it, obviously, but I was so glad when they got too old for parks (my DDs are now adults). This too shall pass @cookies79 but until then you have my deepest sympathy 💐

One park we used to go to was totally fenced and never hugely busy. You could sit watch your kids, have a batter and a few picnic tables for a rest break and snacks. But then I took them to another which was wide open and super crowded- only went once I couldn’t do it with my two kids.

God, I hate it. Not as much as I hate soft play though!

I know several mums who refuse to go to the park.
My regular park going is a necessary evil I must endure with lively energetic kids.. I do find enjoyment when there where possible, I try to avoid busy parks and prefer woodland walks and nature trails.
Does anyone actually enjoy standing by the slides hoping you don't end up in the deeper depths of hell...a and e...??

I always liked going to the park. Kids played and I went on the swings or monkey bars haha. Or sat in the sun and relaxed.

I am a park mum - I do enjoy it, especially summer afternoons with a picnic blanket. And I am a better parent outdoors.

I loved the park!
I am a big kid and love playing.

However, I used to really struggle with the other parents.

I’m not very good at small talk and then there’s the parents whose kids are misbehaving but they don’t bother saying or doing anything.

I did it all . Playground , park, beach, hikes, soft play . And the dreaded swimming lessons . Looking back I think I did it because I thought that was what good mothers do. But now I know you can be an equally good mother without all that stuff. Choose your own level.

I remember my own mother for doing all day in the park and not coming home until late . She later explained that as an immigrant it was a place all the women gathered together to socialise. Some had
maybe 4 kids in an apartment. No such things as nursery or playschool . Alone all day like that was boring and tedious and made the fact you were living away from home and family even worse. There were big Silver Cross prams and I remember long baguettes , luncheon meats , fruit and drinks spread out on tablecloths on picnic benches . Happy times .

Nah definitely it’s easier for some mums. I’ve seen mums that literally just sit at the picnic tables with their backs to the play area on their phones or chatting with their friends. Kids could be anywhere. The park is bloody hard work if you’re actually going to properly supervise them. I’ve got a 7 year age gap between mine so I feel like I’ve literally been in the park now for about 12 years. I have become a bit less irritated by it as times gone on though weirdly. Think I’ve probably just become numb…

I’ve got a sore shoulder / back tonight. I’ve realised it’s because I was pushing kids on one of those weird big swings earlier!! Parks aren’t good for your health 😂

I'm the exact opposite, I'm not a "home" mum. I find it so stressful having to find stuff for them to do, tidy up after them, handle them jumping on each other all over the house and screaming at each other. I'd much rather be out at the park letting them run it off, but tbh I'm usually running it off with them so maybe it's me that's the issue.

Anyway yanbu, we all have things we find stressful that others seem to enjoy.

I’m with you OP. I hate play parks. My son is 5 and I feel like I have to constantly keep an eye because there’s always one little shit that wants to launch other children down the slide. When he was younger I had to follow him around because all the play parks near me have 6 ft drops of death at random parts of the equipment and when there’s loads of kids on the same thing, I just envisaged him falling off. I can’t relax at all. I used to be envious of the mums who just sat back and chatted but over the years I’ve come to realise that those mums are normally responsible for the kids that don’t play nice!

Last time I went I witnessed 3 kids tie their dogs lead to a roundabout and push the roundabout round while their mum floated around. I had to go over and tell them off and remove the dog, and then go and hunt down the mum to tell her what was going on.

Give me a trip to the farm/theme park/ swimming pool any day.

Loved the park too. Go for walks, feed the ducks, play in the playground. Take snacks and hot chocolate in cold weather. I’d arrange to meet friends and their kids sometimes. Summer afternoons on picnic blankets were so nice.

Our local park has no fence and is sandwiched between the car park for it and a deep and fast running river and the path next to the river is a popular dog walking route. I can only assume it was designed by a panel of 60+ men who haven't had any childcare responsibilities in a long time. You can never relax. Your child is either going to be run over, drowned, or mauled by a dog if not all three.

My two are 18 and 21 now. Every time I walk past the playground we used to go to I feel a sense of relief those days are over. Definitely not the best part of parenting , as well as bed times.

I still miss them being little though so make the most of it because they will soon be grown up. 🙂

we live next door to a massive park with a zoo and loads of different play parks, field, ponds, a lake, woods etc. So I practically lived there when my boys were young. I can’t say I loved it but it was a lot better than staying home and having them bounce off the walls all day. Did have great fun meeting up with friends and their kids though, good memories.