to not stop my DC doing things because other people don't want their DC to do them?

[hollyvsivy]

My children are adventurous and unless something is dangerous or unsafe for themselves or others, I don't see the problem. Increasingly I find myself being scowled at by other parents whose DC want to copy mine as if I should stop mine to help them out. I've had passive agressive comments, too. As far as I'm concerned, it's up to them to enforce their rules on their children - not me.

Some examples to give you an idea of the contexts of these situations:

Splashing in puddles
Climbing trees
Standing up on the swing
Climbing the slide (as long as no one else is waiting to go down)
Painting their hands and feet at toddler group
Rolling down hills

AIBU to continue to let my children do what I'm fine with them doing and ignore disapproving outsiders who expect me to stop them so their children won't do the same?

I bet the posters on here encouraging 'adventure' and 'imagination' are at school every day complaining that their little darling was told to sit down and be quiet.

Nope. I'm actually delighted when someone else gets to do it for a few hours. And incidentally, I am far from being a half-baked parent. I simply don't accept that adventure/imagination and consideration for others have to be mutually exclusive. I share your view about slide-climbing, but I do think you're being excessively uptight about it. And all this name-calling - "feral", "halfwit" etc. - is simply offensive. Do you do that in front of your children? Because if you do, it's a lot worse than climbing up a slide.

My kids run about and climb but appropriately so. Don't let your kids climb up the slide or stand on a baby swing so my P4thB had to get a muddy butt. It really sounds more like CBA parenting than the other mothers are stuck up or 'jealous'. Get a grip.

I think basically YANBU, with the exception of the slide climbing, but I also agree with Whispering's very good points.

Interesting blog on climbing slides (amongst other things) from a paediatric occupational therapist.

www.kidsplayspace.com.au/playground-rules-to-break-for-greater-play-skill-development/

Ok, so 'adventurous' was the wrong word to use! I think the examples I listed are tame too, but like a previous poster commented - some people think they make my DC seem feral...!

Last week we were at an adventure playground. They are resurfacing their car park so there was a huge mound of mud just outside the fenced off area. I joked to DC the I met they couldn't climb it and a member of staff gave them the go ahead to try so they were climbing it on the way in then sliding down it on their bums and tummy on the way out. They were wet and muddy but I have towels and spare clothes in the car, so why not? At least ten parents told their DC off for asking to try it (despite many wearing all in one splash suits and wellies) and all glared at me as my DC had a great time. I totally agree with the poster who said your DC should know you saying no means no whether someone else is doing something or not.

shell clothes are no good to polish the slide if there is so much rubber on the slide from walking up it that chikd is unable to slide down.

Thus someone else has prevented my child from using the slide as they want. It's stops the sliding. So you can't use your imagination then, you have to abandon it.

Sliding down does not prevent walking up.
Walking up often prevents the sliding down.

Regarding everyone saying slide climbing is so dangerous because you might fall off or face plant the slide and knock teeth out - I've never seen anyone fall off while climbing, but I have seen people fall off when their foot has become caught while sliding down. Similarly, I've never seen anyone knock teeth out climbing a slide but I do know some that have done so by going over the handlebars of their bikes. Should we ban that too?

How is splashing in a puddle adventurous. Surely all kids do this?

Interesting article Wuthering, thanks.

Although my kids aren't allowed to climb up open slides unless the playground is completely empty, they do love climbing up the outside of tube slides. Those kids in the RH picture could be them!

My kids run about and climb but appropriately

Appropriate running and climbing? In a play park? Knock yourselves out with judgement but you can keep that shit.

2 things. Standing on swings I'd be nervous of them falling. And the climbing up slides, I don't let my daughter do that unless the park is empty. You know what kids are like, going down without looking.

But I thought all that stuff in your list is normal kid stuff?!?!

Holly Something about your original and subsequent posts isn't adding up to merit being the recipient of evil eyes. I wonder if your kids 'take over' the playground and that is the reason you get disapproving looks? By 'take over' I mean they are generally being a tad too rough, charging up play equipment, not waiting their turn to climb up or down, pushing past other kids etc?

Regarding everyone saying slide climbing is so dangerous because you might fall off or face plant the slide and knock teeth out - I've never seen anyone fall off while climbing

And what about all the people says climbing up slides damages the slides and puts off other kids from using the slide as it looks taken? Also, what happens when your kids start going to the park on their own? Who will make sure they watch out for kids on the ladder?

Climbing up the slide is a no, I always discourage mine from doing that because often when a child decides to do this they are also stopping other children from going down the slide safely which isn't fair. Slides are for going down not up.

I kind of see where you're coming from. But the other day we were at a restaurant with a play area for kids (not soft play, more along the lines of toys and games and those ride on toys you put money in, not designed to be climbed on). Two children were climbing on top an ice hockey table and jumping off it. Other children started copying and I had to explain to mine why they couldn't join in. The mum of the two parents was totally oblivious.

When other kids are doing something dangerous and the parents aren't paying attention/just let them carry on it's annoying when your own want to copy and you have to explain to them why those children are allowed and they aren't.

Perhaps they shouldn't spin the roundabout either, in case other children are too timid to let it be known they want to get on so they can slow it down

I have no problem with climbing the mound of mud, as you're not affecting anyone else or getting mud on playground equipment. I wouldn't let my DC climb it because I don't want mud all over the car.

A playground is a public space, used by children of all ages. I don't want my toddler being scared to go down the slide because kids are climbing up it, or getting a muddy bottom because kids were standing on the swing. And I do think older kids should set an example to younger ones. Using playground equipment safely and considerately is something I'm teaching mine. So no standing on swing, no climbing up slide, no pushing or throwing sand etc. It's all very well to say they know not to climb it if someone is at the top, but do they always adhere to this? What if they don't see a child climbing the steps? It doesn't take much for a small child to topple backwards, if startled by someone crashing up the slide the wrong way.

Do you let yours stand up on bus seats/park benches/picnic tables?

I'm all for being adventurous and getting muddy, but I don't think a playground is the place for it.

No, because spinning is what roundabouts are for.

What's so worrying about the ladies loo at a local swimming pool. By the way?

No, because spinning is what roundabouts are for.

What's so worrying about the ladies loo at a local swimming pool, by the way?

It's about being considerate and teaching your kids to be considerate.

Roundabouts are for spinning, that's fine.

Slides are for sliding down, not climbing up. If my kids want to climb they can use a climbing frame.

You sound like the kind of parent who lets their older children play in the baby/toddler area at soft play too.

Ok op I'll say what you're clearly desperate for someone to say, in both your threads. Your parenting is simply amazing, your children are superior to all others, you are the only people in the world to have fun.
Disclaimer - you are coming across as deluded, smug and exceptionally boring in both your threads.

You know those huge slides with the partially covered tunnel bits? Well there was a kid on one of those at a park local to me who kept trying to climb up Mum looked on adoringly at her 'creative adventurer' right up until a kid came hurtling down the slide, smacked into her kid and broke his leg. Much screaming and shouting about how the other child should have checked it was clear before coming down. Completely oblivious to the fact that her child was in the wrong place.

You come down the slide, you get off and get clear. The end.

Want to climb a slide? Put one in your own garden.

And op, letting your kids play in mud is not adventurous. I have spent the last I don't know how many years washing filthy clothes and 'gasp' I only have girls!!

Motto in this house is, Don't worry about dirt, it's why we have a washing machine.

There's a tunnel for climbing up in my local soft play that looks exactly like a covered slide from the outside. It has hand/foot holds on the inside though: Every time I go see parents telling their children off for climbing up it. [irrelevant but bored]

Miaow I specifically posted I didn't see the 70s through rose tinted glass so can't see why you though that?

However we did have a lot more freedom from adults micro managing and helecopering out play times and that did engender a certain resilience snd self reliance which is not so prized or seen in kids today snd o think that is a backward step.

Clearly you were s bullied child and unfortunately that's not any different now although kids manage to bully in a more subtle way via social media.