I am just back from the park and couldn't believe what I saw, absolutely crazy behavour from this dad who was there with his son.
I was pushing DS2 (age 1.1) on the baby swing and this wee boy comes up and said 'hello, my name is Tom'. So I say 'hello Tom' and introduced myself and DS2. The boy was standing next to the other baby swing and wanting to get in it, so I said 'do you want me to put you in the swing?' then immediately thought I'd better ask him to ask his daddy to put him in (he was standing about 20m away watching all this). So I turned to look at the daddy who came over to the swing and said 'Right Tom, you KNOW how to get into the swing so get in it!'. He was speaking to him in a complete army tone and said repeatedly 'You KNOW how to do it, you did it at the park the other day so I am NOT showing you again.' So this wee boy tries to pull himself up onto the swing (remember it's a baby swing so has bars on it) and is clearly struggling to which the dad continues 'you GET in that swing Tom!'. He eventually helps him to get his legs over the bars and turns to me and says 'he KNOWS how to do this he is just being a complete pain in the neck'.
By this point I am thinking 
and then he proceeds to say 'Right Tom, I am not going to push you, you know what you should do, legs backwards, forwards, backwards, forwards!!!'. Poor Tom is saying 'daddy push me please!', 'No Tom, I have shown you once I am NOT showing you again!'. The boy tries to move his legs back and forth and the dad shouts (yes, shouts and I am not exaggerating here) 'Tom, PAY ATTENTION!!! Move your legs BACKWARDS and FORWARDS!!!!'. Poor boy isn't getting anywhere fast so the dad goes over to sit on a bench and continues to shout commands at his son. I am trying to figure out his age so I asked Tom his age and he is only 3!!! Not long past 3 either I think.
Eventually Tom just sits there on a stationary swing and the dad comes over and fishes him out and tells him that he knows fine well how to swing and that he is deiberatey being a pain.
Dad = what a complete tosser!!! I couldn't beleive how he spoke to his son and was treating what should be a fun time at the park as an army training exercise. And on a 3 year old. Poor lad.
I really felt like saying something but didn't. Do you think IABU in feeling that way or are my children completely thick cos they can't yet swing themselves or climb into one (my DS1 is nearly 3 and nowhere near able to do that...).