To think that parents need to supervise their children?

[PinkIsMyFavouriteCrayon]

Went to soft play yesterday and am so sick of stupid bloody parents ignoring their little shits children while they barge around and cause chaos. DD is a year old and friends DD is 18months. They both enjoy a little toddle round the under 3's area and going down the small slides. This particular soft play has tables where parents can sit and watch their kids, and also has a cafe in the next room (no window or anything to see kids) So in comes four approx 8 year old boys, all fighting and throwing themselves around in the under threes area. Myself, my friend and another parent all gently saying to them they were welcome to play in this area but could they be more careful as their were little ones crawling/walking around. little- shits-- kids responded with 'What are you gonna do like?' 'I don't care what you say, I'll play where I want!' [proceeds to shove other parent out the way]

Ok so point 1, am I being unrealistic to expect to take DD to soft play when she is only 12months? She enjoys it and my friend and I get a chance to catch up whilst supervising our kids

And point 2, AIBU to expect parents to actually see what their kids are doing?? I know at 8 years old the parents don't need to get into the soft play with them, but to notice when they are causing a nuisance

Am kicking myself for not saying anything to the parents when we came out, but in my defence they looked rough as anything and if they had children that were allowed to behave like that in the first place they were unlikely to be bothered by anything I say!!

We avoid soft play for this very reason. Tis a shame, but there are other areas - outdoor play parks, leisure centre sessions etc.

was this in school hours?

yanbu

YANBU.

This is why I avoid softplay. I have been twice and on both occasions parents use it as an excuse to sit and natter and drink coffee. Zero supervision going on as their DC's hit/ push/ bite.

Lazy fuckers.

i'd have spoken to staff in an attempt to get the kids moved out of the under 3's area.. (though this may well have been a waste of breath depending on what the staff are like)

YANBU.

Just remember though - one day it'll be your 8yo kid pushing over tiny babies
(well, someone was going to say it sooner or later :) )

YANBU.

At one of our soft play areas there is a special bit just for under 3s. There are often older children running around and being really rough in there without the parents saying anything.

I always tell a member of staff and they remove any older children and remind parents over the tannoy that the area is for under 3s only. I like the fact that there is a separate it for them to play without being trampled by older children.

Doesn't make the parents give a toss though unfortunately.

It was 3:30, a time to avoid in future!

And don't worry Jareth if my DD ever does this I'll be nearby with a big stick!

Ooh yes I agreee with you. I once took my niece and nephew, then aged 8 and 10 to a museum that had a play room that was designed for under 5s. I didn't think they would want to go in anyway, but they did. There were a lot of big kids charging about and causing chaos with their parents just sitting on chairs around the edge ignoring them. We left and returned a bit later when it was quieter and at first my niece and nephew were fine and just chatted to a few kids in this enclosed space where you just sit really. Then my nephew started a game of Tag in the rest of the room so I told him off. When he tried again a few minutes later I told him off more firmly. I was the only adult that did anything about a child's behaviour. My niece and nephew retreated back into the enclosed space but other kids stayed in the main bit (which wasn't very big) and ran around, crashing into little ones. I saw a few parents with toddlers come in then leave straight away because of these older children rushing around, which I thought very unfair because the room was designed for under fives so they should have priority. There were plenty of things for the older kids to do in the rest of the museum, but only this for the little ones. The parents were all there, and could clearly see their kids but noone did anything about their behaviour. I guess they must have thought that knocking toddlers over was acceptable! I got a couple of funny looks when I told my nephew off but I wasn't going to just stand there and let him misbehave!

I also think parents of toddlers can be guilty of not watching their kids adequately. I once took another nephew, aged 22 months, to a soft play area that was sort of open plan with an integral cafe. Every adult but me sat at one of the tables chatting/reading a newspaper/drinking coffee etc. I was the only one that stayed with the child I was with, and he wasn't even the youngest there! Plus, it was school time so none of them were older than four. While I was there things I had to do included: lifting a baby out of the ball pit as she was climbing out and about to fall, teaching at least 2 toddlers not to throw balls from the ball pit at my nephew and/or other children, helping a toddler get off a piece of soft play equipment, keeping my nephew away from a toddler who seemed intent on following him around and snatching whatever toy he had. I couldn't believe it. These were pratically babies and had no supervision!

I wouldn't have asked them gently to play nicely....I just tell them to GET OUT of the toddler bit and go and play where they should. I get really annoyed with big kids in the toddler bit, jumping off the roof of the playhouse, walking up the slides, riding on the toddler ride-ons etc etc. And if they don't like it, I give them my best death stare and it usually works :o

Sorry but I think you were way too nice. It was clear from their behaviour that they weren't going to play nicely. A firm "off you go boys, you're clearly too old for this area" should work. If not, then a polite appeal to a staff member - and if they show any reluctance I'd remind them that their insurance may not cover them if the younger child gets injured .

i agree with others. you were too nice. next time jsut say "this is for under 3's you have to leave now"

These were hard-core 8 year olds! My DCs have strayed into the under 5s area before and been asked to leave (usually by me, but by other adults if I didn't get there). No way would they give that sort of lip back.

If your instinct about the parents was right (which I think it might have been, given the lack of supervision and the lack of manners of the children), then you have to tell the staff.

Next time though, be firmer (but not rude, Obvv)

Jareth - the last time I went to soft play I was a bag of nerves, worrying that my DSs (7 and 10) would accidentally hurt a smaller child. Constant reminders to be careful, and paranoia about them being judged by others .

Al in all, I am glad that phase is over. Soft play places smell

There's a reason they smell. One of my neighbours used to work at one and she said every Friday night it got a deep clean. You don't want to know the kind of stuff they found at the bottom of the ballpit.

I always tell the staff if there are older kids where they shouldn't be.

I find the quietest time to go with my DS18mo is around 10am, and get out by lunchtime.

We go to Hickory Dickory's in Kings Heath every Tuesday and Thursday (so I don't lose my mind a home) and while I bring either a book or crossword along, I always make sure I know where my kids are and what they're doing. I caught my DD (3) trying to climb up a slide in the under 5's area and reminded her we don't do that, she stopped. I also make sure that DS (4) is behaving as he's not very patient so when littler kids are climbing up to the big slide he has to wait and let them go first.

We went to a different one where there was an under 4's area and since he's 4 I wouldn't let him go in. I had to explain to him that space was for the smaller kids like his sister and he had to go play where the big boys climb.

My DS, when he was 2, was pushed off a climbing toy a few times by an older kid (about 10), I waited for the mother to say something, but she was too busy texting, so I first asked him nicely to please don't push the smaller kids, when he did it again I told him to knock it off, then glared at the mother when she looked at me. I actually was approached by another mom when we were leaving thanking me for saying something as her kid was being pushed around too but she was too shy to say anything.

You did right Tyra - too many parents of little ones seem hesitant about challenging older DCs

IMO it's perfectly OK to firmly ask an older child to be considerate, and definitely to stop any deliberate aggression. Just watch that you aren't assuming they are being malicious when they aren't and remember that they were once toddlers themselves and think how you'd like your child to be spoken to.

Don't be scared of telling them off though - most aren't as big or tough as they seem

IME softplay is one of the outer circles of hell, they need to provide a nice big vodka with each entry fee followed by a valium chaser.

In our local soft play it's open plan with a larger area with zip wires, trampolines, ball pits and large slides and a toddler area for under 3's with a smaller ball pit, a smaller slide and toys. DD1 and DSS are two and a half and 22 months respectively and are quite (unintentionally) boisterous and I find it hard to believe there are young babies in there alone while the parents are sat totally distracted talking and drinking coffee. I once saw a six month old baby laying there alone while a ten month old baby crawled around getting himself into all sorts of situations. These babies were around older toddlers who were running around and generally being toddlers. I didn't think it was safe at all so I gently informed the parents about the older toddlers who didn't seem interested in the slightest and then informed the staff who told me that it wasn't their job to remove a child from the under 3's if they were under 3 if the parents were present.

The possibility of imminent danger to a young baby should be of paramount importance to the parents but evidently, coffee trumps that.

Needless to say, we don't go there anymore.

Personally I'd rather a big glass of wine, but if vodka works for you, more power to ya.