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'm not really interested if other children knock their own teeth out, or fall and hurt themselves.

I am bothered that it spoils my child's enjoyment of using a slide.

Reading between the lines your children are wild and you do nothing to stop it. I don't think any normal person would react to children just being children until it affects what they are doing, you've mentioned specific activities but I'd have thought it was more about their conduct than the actual activity.

"You could just as easily say it wasn't great for the child climbing up when someone wants to slide down"

That really is just being contrary for contrariness sake. It's like saying it's not great for the child who wants to use all the swing seats as tables for doll's tea parties that other children want to use the swings as swings!

I had no idea that slide climbing was a problem until I moved to the UK.

Absolutely fine to let your child follow their own playground rules-up to the point where they have a negative effect on other children's play. So, climbing over the top of the monkey bars-fine. Standing on the swing. Fine. Going up the slide. Not fine. Simple. It's like school playground football- fine until football takes over the space and there is no room for anyone to do anything else. Some parents object to football being contained too.

Rolling down hills would never happen around here due to the vast amounts of poo

Climbing up the frigging slide is fine imo as long as know one is coming down/waiting.

op you are fine - some parents are just gibberish nervous wrecks imo.

Absolutely fine, even climbing up the slide if there is nobody else on it.

You could just as easily say it wasn't great for the child climbing up when someone wants to slide down

Oh for goodness sake it's in the name, a SLIDE is for sliding. Therefor child wanting to use a slide for its intended purpose takes priority over the child who wants to be 'creative' with how they use he equipment. Climbing frames are for climbing, swings are for swinging etc. It's not difficult to work out.

This thread is amazing!

I still think kids should use play equipment how they want to & that includes climbing the slides. The links posted explain better than I can.

However all the comments about mud have me everything gets muddy (& covered in bird crap) but then it pours with rain scotland & it's all clean again!

I'd say the queue of kids wanting to go down the slide take priority over the queue of kids wanting to climb up the slide but maybe I'm just odd?? (I know I'm odd).