to have ignored the kids and stayed on the park?

[LifeIsButtercream]

A few streets away from me is a small public play area, basically a climbing frame, steps, slide, with some benches underneath it, just one piece of equipment. DD is nearly 2 and LOVES tackling the steps/bridge/slide so we go there every week or so, usually on weekdays, but as the garden was pretty wet we went down there today.

When we got there, there was a group of 5 kids, I guess they were 8ish in age, sitting on the benches under the climbing frame, they made eye contact so I smiled, parked the buggy and got DD out. One of the kids pipes up:

"The climbing frane is ours today. It's our clubhouse and she can't come on it".

I replied (nicely!) that the park was for everyone, and DD is allowed to use it the same as everyone else. Cue sulky expressions and muttering from the kids. I ignore them and supervise DD climbing and sliding. All the while ignoring the kids saying between themselves that they "can't have our secret meeting incase the cow hears us" and one saying they would get their dad ('bring it on' I thought).

We left after about 15mins as I had to get tea on, but on the way home I wondered whether I was BU, and just had a massive sense of entitlement thinking DD could use the park like that, was I being a PFB?

It's a public space and is owned by no one i would have done exactly as you did. YANBU.

No, you were being perfectly reasonable. If it had been one of several pieces of play equipment I probably would have kept my DC away and allowed the kids some space. But they don't have any right to dictate who gets to use a public park.

they whispered that you were a cow?!? At that age?

If they'd have asked nicely "we were having a secret club meeting, do you mind if we play here by ourselves?" then you should've let them - but bloody hell, how rude of them, so YANBU and you handled it well by showing them an example of polite behaviour!

I'd be ashamed if my DCs acted like that tbh. It's one thing to want the equipment for their club and to be all secretive, it is quite another to be rude and sulky about it.

I would have done exactly the same.

YANBU!! And I agree, if that were my child I'd be thoroughly ashamed. Maybe next time you could try the age old 'I know who your parents are' line?!

No YANBU. Friend and I took our 3 dc's (between us) on bikes to the park today, there is a half pipe there. Ours wanted to use it with their bikes but can't actually go up the sides!! (they are 5,6 and 7). All great as the older children wanting to go up and down were pleased when we told our DC's not to go in front of them but stay at one end. Older kids asked to swap ends so they could have the higher end.

Played great for nearly an hour when 2 more boys turned up, they wanted to play up where our dc's were and our dc's to go off it.. Went across to try and find another compromise, we were happy to ask our dc's to cycle around the path as they were just using the half pipe as a slide at this point - with a few others who'd joined in. When we went over we caught one of the 2 newcomers kicking my friends DD's bike and telling her to fuck off. (he was about 9yo ). Well he saw us and scarpered whilst I held my friend back and we let our dc's play longer even though we were ready to leave.

Not sure what point I'm making other than if rude children ike this get their own way by behaving like this they'll keep doing it - so good on you for staying and I hope your DD had a good time.

They sound like feral brats...talking to an adult like that. You did the right thing.

There's a small swing park in our city centre...near Tescos...it's handy and the kids love it but it often gets overrun by sulky typical teenagers who sit on the swings snogging....I often have to ask them to bugger off to the benches so my 3 year old can swing without getting an x rated show to boot!

Sometimes you have to get down and dirty and show your DC how to take control.

YANBU

However, 8 year olds think the world revolves around them and as far as they were concerned you were simply ruining their fun. No excuse for rudeness but children that age can be very self centred so it was a drama for them!

I would have done the same.

Thinking about it I already have but it was in soft play and the children were about 5!! They told ds he couldn't play in that particular bit (a tunnel) because it was for big boys and he was a baby! Ds was so upset especially when one pushed him away as they ran in there so he couldn't get in. I had a word with them along similar lines to the op's.