To think this child's parents should have been closely supervising him?

[thefuturesnotourstosee]

We took ds (just 1) to soft play area today and let him play in the under 5 area. Tehre were a couple of brothers probably aged 8 and 4 who were playing roughly. At one point the younger one picked up ds and litereally dropped him on the floor. DS not hurt but a bit shocked. No parents in evidence so dp went over and asked them to leave DS alone please.

They swore at him then the older one pulled down his pants and flashed at him. DP just clamly told him to pull up his trousers which thankfully he did without arguent.

We were unable to find parents so I spoke to staff who said "oh yer he's got learning difficulties hes done it before we'll let his parents know he's done it again. Nothing else we can do"

Learning difficulties or not AIBU to think his parents should have been supervising him closely if he is known to be inclined to that sort of behaviour and the staff should have taken it seriously rather htna just casually dismissing it. I know parents need a rest especially when child has LDs but a soft play area is not really the place to take it :(

Dons fireproof jacket and awaits a flaming?

oh dear perhaps i was not clear.

I am referring to the rest not the child as "it". I think the parents were in the building but not paying any attention to their children.

DS was standing about 1 metre away from me hanging on to the side of a little play house (not very steady on his legs yet). When the other child moved towards him I assumed he was going to try to play with him as a lot of the other children had already done. What he actually did was so unexpected that I was still moving when it happened IYSWIM

I've calmed down now and feel rather sad for the boy and his parents. I just hope the issue can be sorted out and he gets any help he needs and they get a rest. Not a nice situation - lucky DP doesn't shock easily

YANBU, speaking as a mother of children with SN. One of my worst experiences at soft play was a lad who was throwing younger children form the top of a slide and punching DS2 and DS3. My friend told him to stop and his older brother yells "You can't tell him off, he has ADHD!", I replied so did DS2 and DS3 and that was all the more reason to have rules, and asked where their parents were, turns out they were across a busy road sunbathing on the beach!, I got up to go and tell them, the kids legged it.

Some parents just don't care op. Look out for your little ones & leave the rest to themselves. Parents will never give a damn.

We attempted to use a soft play on a ferry last year. Seemed like a good idea after 7 hours in the car. We lasted less than 3 mins. Lots of over-sized children bombing around, and before DS (18m) had even got in the zone, a child of 3-4 randomly came up and shoved him over for absolutely no reason. He hadn't touched anything to get territorial about, she just came deliberately to knock him to the ground. No sign of parents. We went. Some people just see soft play as a zone to absolve themselves of parental responsibility.

YANBU

YANBU OP. DS2 (9) has LD and whilst he keeps his pants firmly on I have always closely supervised him. Mostly actually for his own safety/ happiness, his special needs make him more vulnerable. It is exhausting though, and I have some sympathy with his parents.

Just to let you know us soft play employees don't really have magical powers- i can tell parents and kids off til I'm blue in the face but get so tired of being shouted at by parents after pointing out their kids behaviour - a lot seem to think their kids are angels. Just saying that only a manager will remove someone and will never do that as its bad for business and as an employee tou can't start banning people. Just sticking up for soft play employees- human too!

Whilst YANBU I wouldn't take a 1 year old to soft play during school holidays. Just go during school hours when there's unlikely to be any older children there.

Poor OP, she'd had every sentence scrutinised and questioned by posters just desperate to berate her.

YANbU,we always supervise DD.

Prettykitty...try and think about what you are saying.

my DD is 6 but has physical abilities of a toddler. She cannot physically cope with the older child section of the soft play, she gets annihilated.

So occasionally DH supervises her closely while she sits I the toddler art. She is utterly non aggressive.

Of course the OP is right and the boy should have been supervised.

But save your sarcasm and think about how not everyone has it as
easy as you with your NT kids whom softplay was designed for

DD was injured at soft play when she was about 4 when staff intransigently refused to let her sit in baby section although it was empty, we had to take her on larger section and she fell down slide

We really need people being sarky arses whenwe are out trying to entertain our kid like everyone else. Not.

However I think the sort of person who would sarcastically say

'he may have LDs but he is still 8' to the oarent of a child with SN is somewhat lacking in empathy.

Anyway I have said my bit, the main thing is

OP..YANBU at all.

YANBU. Not one tiny bit. As for the people saying you should have been supervising your child better wtaf? If you let your child play in the under 5 area and are watching closely then imo that is satisfactory surely. Helicoptor parenting should not be required 24/7.

And also what candy said. Some people need to read properly or remove the stick from their asses.

YANBU, his parents should definitely have been supervising him.

YANBU, his parents should have been supervising him more closely.