Aibu? Parents at playground

[Iloveanimals]

Hi everyone,

Because it was such a lovely day today we decided to take ds to playground. When we got there, there was 2 boys on swings (only two swings in the entire playground BTW) the one boy got to the swing before ds did, fair enough ds needed to wait his turn etc, that's fine.
Boy 1 was on swing around ten minutes, by this time big queue is building up. Boy 2 was on swing wayyyyyy before boy 1. Boy 1s parents finally called him off and let ds have a turn because he was next (although ten mins was quite a long wait I'm not that overly bothered)
However boy two was on the swing for over thirty minutes! His parents just stood there watching him and not calling him off, whilst theres a big back log of kids waiting...
Husband did say something to them in the end and they completly ignored him. I find this behaviour unacceptable, but maybe it's just me? Aibu? Please be gentle, I'm not looking for a fight honest 😁

Saracrew2...Perhaps you should talk to the poster further up who has talked about her child with autism, who has difficulties getting her child off the swings.....Just because your child with Sen is fine getting off when you tell them to, doesn't mean others are too.

It seems standard to queue here too. Never thought of it as odd.

Saracrew2...Perhaps you should talk to the poster further up who has talked about her child with autism, who has difficulties getting her child off the swings.....Just because your child with Sen is fine getting off when you tell them to, doesn't mean others are too.

Mumz I don't need to talk to anyone because I have two dc with ASD. I never said they were fine getting off swings, did I? They have a go and then they get off. The following meltdown is annoying but I cannot and do not expect the rest of the children in the playground to stand and watch mine being pushed on the swing for the whole day (which my dc would happily do)

Hello,
A topical subject for my petition as everyone is getting out to enjoy the play areas, please consider signing so we can keep them and maintain them -
Following reports of likely cuts to funding for maintenance and provision of Children's play areas by Local Authorities, I have started a Government e-petition which proposes a levy on the Professional Football Clubs for some of their wealth to be used to provide play areas for our children.
As well as helping to provide an essential facility for young children the money invested in this manner, to help keep our children fit and active, could also increase the potential for those very children to go on to participate in football (as well as other sport of course).
I would be extremely grateful if you would consider passing the link onto your members in order that they may be able to hopefully support the campaign, and publicise the petition to residents within their respective areas.

The link is -
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/185162

Please support the proposal, our children deserve these areas.

My daughter would hog the swing, she can not use any of the other things so the 45 minutes she is there I do not remove her from swing she sits on it swings and watches the other kids play she loves it.
Ive never seen anyone ever make a line for a swing the children just tend to go play with the dozen other things until one is free.

Everybody queues here (SW London).
And it is frowned upon to take more than 5min if there are people waiting.

Queuing is standard here. Sometimes only a swing (bucket style) is the only suitable equipment for the younger ones. When I find someone who is being unreasonable about length of time I just comment rather loudly that the "Mummy/Daddy isn't teaching little girl/boy to share especially when things belong to all the children". Usually get a pretend startled look and apology with comment "didn't realise been on so long". Why should kids not queue when they want a turn, going on the slide they usually form a queue to climb up and slide down, it's all learning.

I'm giggling at how bloody British the swing queue is!

seriously I'm wondering if maybe teaching kids they can't have a go on everything is also a good lesson

I'm amazed at the parents who are quite happy to let their child monopolise a piece of play equipment for ages, whatever happened to teaching kids to share? Clearly good manners aren't important to some families.

And for all those who think queuing is weird or wrong, its called politely waiting your turn. It should also be considered a hint to the child who has had their turn to get off.

manicmij

Do you mean these style swings.

I wanna know the parents trick!? How did they get their child to enjoy ONE activity for 30mins?! my lot never form queues at the playground because they're on something for less than a minute then they're OFF to the next thing
YANBU OP but not a lot you can do about other parents deciding to be an arse. Only thing you can do is show your own kids otherwise and teach them better than what these parents are teaching their child

Perhaps the child had special needs and swinging is a sensory thing that helps him relax. Whilst it is on the surface bad form, you never know whether there might be more to it so best to give the benefit of the doubt.

Just in a nice park with my dd and saw a drug deal take place!
Needles to say we didn't stay there after that.

Aurora Aah I was waiting for the SN comment.

Ah well. Swings and roundabouts, really.

.......

Queueing for swings is normal round here and only happens if a child is hogging it.

Some parents just think their kid should be allowed to hog whatever they want. These are the ones that probably don't encourage their children to share toys either.

My DD is 2.5 and sharing is something we are working on just now. She can be a little uptight where other kids are involved and seems to think everything belongs to her.

We went to the park yesterday, it was heaving. A swing became free and she ran for it. Fair enough, no queue. But she didn't want to swing on it, she just wanted to sit there. When DH or I tried to swing her she would scream noooooooo, no swing.

So basically she just wanted to reserve it, in case she wanted to swing later.

Needless to say she was swiftly removed from the swing, amid an enormous tantrum. We distracted her with ice cream.

....if I wasn't pregnant I'd be about three glasses deep into a bottle of wine by now.

if I wasn't pregnant I'd be about three glasses deep into a bottle of wine by now.

I'm truely shocked by that comment! 😮😡

That suggests you would leave some wine in the bottle! 😉😁🍷

poverty

Ohh :( it makes me bored just about thinking about the situation, but even more about thinking that people will be counting for how how my child will be playing on the swing because is so nice to share. I'm not saying that we shouldn't teach our children to share but we I also teach my son that he can't have everyhtong he wants, whenever he wants, becaus ethe child in the swing must also be lonvong it.... so why not help him to find sometting else and go back to the swing when the other child is gone ?
I never been through this situation tough but I just think that if even going to a playgroung you have to keep watching your son steps (and not letting him sort things out for himself-finding something else to do+ respecting the child playing in the swing for example)...is better stay at home .

You are being very unreasonable.
If you go to a restaurant and all the tables are booked you don't get to give people a time limit to eat their food so you can sit at the table.
Your son has to wait. I highly doubt any queue built up - kids can't be arsed to wait!

To reply to the "these are probably children that don't know how to share" comments - what nonesense!

You can turn that around and say those parents who are complaining are raising children who think they're entitled to whatever they want!

I actually think yabu. If that child got to the swings first who says there's a time limit? Yes the natural thing to do would be to allow another child to have a go but in reality if that child is enjoying himself they're unlikely to hop off just so another child who is glaring at him can have a go. I think you should have moved on and told your child they can have a turn another time. This child probably stayed on the swings longer to piss of everyone who was queuing! Parks are free to use so I don't see why children have to have a turn on certain things, if they're being used tough luck!