To think that when you're using play equipment in the park it's rude for parents to stand next to you waiting for you to finish

[Qedwai]

I'm wondering if I'm the only one who hates this or if I'm being unreasonable.

When I'm in the park with my Sons and we want to go on something we play on something else until it's free and then quickly go on it once it becomes available. We don't stand right next to the parent and child waiting for them to get off! If we know something is really popular we will only stay on 5 mins so that everyone gets a chance to play.

One thing I've noticed consistently, is that there are a small number of parents who will stand right next to you with their child, literally waiting for you to get off the equipment. In the process, making you feel rushed and uncomfortable. Especially if they make a big deal of the fact they are waiting by saying stuff like 'won't be long now and you can go on once this boy has got off'.

Today I was in a large, fairly busy park and I put my Son in the swing. I had only just put him in when a woman went right behind me and said to her daughter 'we will go on once this boy has finished' she then proceeded to stand still, right next to me, with a grumpy face until we took our Son out of the swing'.

It's something I would never ever do. I think it's rude and unnecessary. Standing nearby is different but right next to the person is rude.

If a park is so busy it's necessary to queue for things I suppose that's different, but i'm not talking about parks like that. Just normal parks.

I know I probably am being a bit unreasonable but it's happened a few times now, and it's really getting on my nerves.

I do get the personal space thing. But he is waiting for a turn on swings etc, my ds3 will repeatedly ask if he can go on. I then have to repeatedly explain that it's is not his turn yet and he has to be patient. If someone turned round and gave me evils every time I replied, I would definitely say something

discobabe that is exactly what I was thinking!

How can the other parents be invading OPs personal space without getting hit by the swing??? What a load of ridiculous bollocks.

OP YABU. Yes. You.Are.

Yes.

YABU.

Got it yet?

YANBU OP, it's rude to hover. It's passive aggressive to speak to your child in full earshot of another adult when what you're saying is clearly made for the other adult. Presumably you do this both ways and if your children want something you don't hover/ insist on immediate sharing?

No neither do I, 5 minutes is totally fine, 20 is fine, all day even, as long as no-ones waiting, but if you have a little kid waiting patiently for more than 5min that's too long. By queuing, waiting and sharing they're learning quite a lot tbh both patience and turn-taking

I think yabu.

Sometimes if you didn't queue you don't get on because someone else will jump in before you.

Fgs. "Hassling people in parks" is somewhat OTT.

YABU.
When my daughter was small we used to queue for equipment at the park. Now she is ten she goes to the adventure playground alone and will still wait nicely if it's occupied.

Yabu my pet hate is parents not talking their kids if to give other a turn.
Also I would let my dc stay on a swing longer if idiot think anyone was waiting.

If I didn't think.

Yanbu. Very passive aggressive and intimidating to stand close to you and DC expecting you to get off ASAP.

😂 I'm not above actually saying to a parent. "Is it ok if my little girl has a turn now, she's been waiting ages ...oh thanks so much, isn't that kind dd, such good sharing, thank you so much" 😁😁

I think Rocking's approach is much better than all the huffy puffy angry stuff, like those parents who would stay on longer just because someone tells their kid not long now etc. I'd have thought most parents would apologise that they hadn't noticed how long her DC had been waiting.

My local playground is a guaranteed friendly place. Maybe we're all mellowed by the ever present waft of marijuana from the adjoining skate park.

I wouldn't do it mine just wait and then Linford Christie it over when it's free. Tbh if someone was stood at the side of me saying shit like " won't be long" I'd take even longer.
Good old survival of the fittest eh!
To hell with the younger or disabled kids who can't win the race over the newly vacated swings. My poorly co-ordinated autistic kids would never have stood a chance - and then wouldn't have been able to cope with losing out to faster kids each time.
I had to wait at the swing if they wanted a turn, and I had to talk them through the waiting process because that is the only way they would ever understand and learn.

Deliberately taking longer because a child is waiting is seriously nasty. Why would you do that? Why would you want to teach your children that is the way to treat other people?

Pearl people are not being pa they are waiting their turn. Do you just post on mumsnet to be horrible , or am I missing the threads where you are supportive?

Pearl I say those things, not to be passive aggressive but to teach my daughter how to share and be patient and to reassure her she will get a go. It's for her ears not the other parents. I trust that as adults we're able to judge for ourselves how long is appropriate in a public park. I didn't realise some of us where so childish and spiteful

OP I didn't get chance to type more earlier, but please get over yourself. It's called waiting your turn. When it's busy 5 mins is too long. My daughter loves the swings she'd prefer to wait patiently than go on other things as she wouldn't want to miss her turn. I can't imagine they were inappropriately close otherwise they'd get hit by the swing. You're the one being rude and unreasonable

YABU.

Perhaps you and your DC should just stay home so you don't have other people and their DC in your vicinity, wanting to play on public park equipment. I am sure you and everyone in your postcode would be far happier.

Well if you're sure it's directed at you, maybe consider why?..... I frequently see people spending way long than is polite on play equipment. I can only assume you're one of them. Yes maybe they should just ask you directly but I'm not sure you'd take that well either lol.

YABU & rude