I experienced Soft Play Rage for the first time yesterday

[doublevodkaandcoke]

Yesterday I took DS (nearly 12 months) to a local soft play. It has a lovely section for under 3s with lights and bubbles etc. It has clear signs stating that that particualr area is for under 3s only.

There were two women in there, one of whom had a DS of a similar age to mine. Anyway, after about 15 minutes two boys (about 7 and 9) came charging into the under 3s section from the main section, and it became clear that they belonged to the other woman.

I thought she would turf them out pretty quickly, but no she just let them start running riot in there. They were throwing ball pond balls about and knocking over all the foam things in there. At one point the eldest one appeared from nowhere and knocked one over that narrowly missed DS. The mum just said 'oh watch out for the babies' about twice, but apart from that just let them carry on in there. After about another 15 mins the two boys disappared back into the main section.

AIBU to think that this woman was a inconsiderate twat for letting her kids do this? I didnt say anything (wimp that I am), but I was cross that she let her older kids behave this way in an under 3s section and that I felt like a precious helicopter parent because I had to keep moving DS out of their way

It is hard, but next time, say something to the boys. Be firm but non-confrontational, something like "Boys, the rules are no-one over 3 in here"

My two sons (9 and 11) were at the receiving end of a 3 year old who was throwing gravel around the other day. Mother made feeble attempt to stop him, ignored him when he carried on. She only took action (didn't tell him off, din't apologise), when my 11 year old asked the boy to stop.

My friend had this in soft play where her two year old girlwas trying to avoid being beaten by a slightly older boy. She tried to talk to the boy as he was near her and get him to calm down. The mother comes over shouting her head off (first time she'd got up the whole time she'd been there) and starts ranting and raving at my friend causing her to cry (and she is not a softy). Some parents will not acknowledge their kid has done any wrong. This woman was such a bitch and I wished I'd done more to sort it out but my friend just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Sadly, having children doesn't transform some people into nice people, it just gives them extra venues to spread their wankyness. Soft play seems to be one of those venues

Nicely put Jamie

complain to the soft play staff - pref manager ask whose responsibilty it wouldbe if there was an accident.

however its something to get used to im afraid....no one seems to follow any of the rules in these places.

I think parents are the problem often not the child.

When dd2 was about 2yo I went to a soft play with her. In the under 4 section she was wandering through to the top of the slide, when a child who was 10yo (he told me his age) came up the slide. Her dashed past her knocking her over because she was holding on with her right hand and doesn't have a left and he pushed past her causing her to lose her grip. I said to him in a mild voice "you're a bit old for here. It's for under 4s only"

According to his mother he was "absolutely devastated" and had a right to be there because she had a younger one who was in that area

I pointed out I wouldn't have said anything if he'd been playing quietly in a corner, but his behaviour was unacceptable anyway.

She then went and shouted at dd1, age 5yo, who was reading quietly in a corner of the cafe for "behaving inappropriately".