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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed with big kids playing in little kids playground ???

39 replies

nallydoolally · 11/04/2007 20:44

It seems whichever park we take the dc and mindees to, there are teenagers larking around on the playground equipment. Poor ds got kicked the other day (by accident, but no apology) by stupid big kid climbing up the slide with his hooded top on back-to-front and, therefore, unable to see what he was doing (stupid stupid idiotic etc etc).

Went to another park yesterday and the same thing was going on - big kids (different ones) with hoods on back-to-front or jumpers tied around their heads.....climbing all over the climbing frame.

Haven't they got anything better to do????

OP posts:
3andnomore · 11/04/2007 20:56

tis Holidays, so, I assume they don't!
I truely think that that is a big, huge part of this whole issue with Youth...they are so bored, that is why they do so many stupid things, etc...sigh!

lilybubble · 11/04/2007 20:57

Argh, I couldn't agree more. Am staying with my parents at the moment, went to the lovely park 2 mins walk away yesterday, and it was full of big kids - like 16 - 18 year olds I 'd guess, on all the equipment. That's one thing, but then these 2 horrible girls were swearing away, and my lovely dad got really cross and told them off and they soon disappeared.

Went back today and there they were again. There is quite a lot to do around here for kids of that age so I really don't know why this is the most exciting place they can think of to hang around in. VERY annoying indeed.

Kbear · 11/04/2007 20:58

Yep, same in our park last week. They are just bored teenagers hanging about and probably don't mean any harm but I agree it's irritating when they are mob handed and on the equipment designed for smaller kids.

If they are on stuff my kids want to have a go on I politely ask them if they can have a turn next and say "thanks guys" and I've not had a bad response, they just move on. I'm not been PC but I do think that treating them respectfully will usually get you the same back.

I think our instinct is to be scared of the hoodie but seriously they are just bored kids and I remember the days well myself (being only 39 myself )!

Original poster
nallydoolally · 11/04/2007 20:58

really annoys me. during normal school weeks, there is no point in going to the parks after 3.30pm because of these bored bigger kids.... why aren't they reading or doing woodwork?

OP posts:
Kbear · 11/04/2007 20:59

meant "not being PC".

And I always speak up if the language gets too much - along the lines of "could you stop swearing around the little ones please" and again, I've never had a bad response really.

Kbear · 11/04/2007 21:00

although my DH works on a different basis entirely and is more on the lines of "clear off before I kill you" so we don't take him to the park.

misdee · 11/04/2007 21:00

ooo when i was a teenager we sat in the kiddies park and get yelled up a lady with her toddler to get out of the kids park. so we moved over to the older park with the big equipment, 5 mins later she bought her toddler into the bigger kids park. it annoyed a fair few of us teenagers at the time.

Kbear · 11/04/2007 21:00

oh no, that was a joke about DH but I'm bound to get leapt on for that!

Original poster
nallydoolally · 11/04/2007 21:04

the language is awful eh? not sure why it doesn't occur to them that it's not nice to speak like that around littl'uns. also the graffiti is terrible. dd1 is now learning to read and stands there sounding out some of the things scrawled about what Jane did to John and where you can have a good time... I have to keep distracting her. I have called the council a few times and they have been out to repaint.

OP posts:
Kbear · 11/04/2007 21:08

nally, your post made me laugh about reading the graffiti. I was at Canvey with a friend and her kids and we kept pointing out to the water and saying "ooh, look at the bird", "look there's a dolphin" just to distract them from various graphic bits of scrawl on the sea wall as we walked past!

RustyBear · 11/04/2007 21:09

There may be lots of things to do in the area, but most of them cost money...and if they were inside reading or doing woodwork, someone would be saying 'Why don't you go out in this lovely sunshine...'

I agree about the swearing and the dangerous larkng around but half the time it's just due to not thinking, and unless they are really scummy types they often do respond to polite requests.

3andnomore · 11/04/2007 21:10

I suppose woodwork and reading isn't as appealing.
Don't get me wrong, I do get irritated at times, too, and they can look rather intimidating, too...but, like Kbear, I have not had bad responses when I asked tTeens politely, etc...!
As for swearing, I suppose they want to look cool

Kbear · 11/04/2007 21:13

I think if you go in with all guns blazing they will rear up and go all defensive but usually they respond well to be treated with respect (not that they necessarily deserve it but...).

Original poster
nallydoolally · 11/04/2007 21:13

I know they are probably harmless, but I am a real scaredy cat and find it offputting. I can see one of the parks from the house, so tend to have a look out of the window and then we all run over there to play for a while if the coast is clear. Am I being a wuss?

OP posts:
3andnomore · 11/04/2007 21:18

nally..I really can see where you are coming from...with some of the Kids ehre, I will just leave a park, too...with others it's seems alright...going purely by instinct there, lol!
Like I said, they can be very intimidating, even if they are harmless, because they all try to be as loudmouthed as possible,and show off....

Lovecat · 11/04/2007 21:19

I had to ask two walloping great teenage girls to get off the babies' slide in our park over the weekend - they were going up and down the sloping ramp in their wheelie shoes and knocking the toddlers over.

They did go, but not before giving me a very nasty look... I wouldn't mind, but they have their own playground 5 foot away - what's the attraction to the tiny baby stuff?

RustyBear · 11/04/2007 21:19

Don't think you're a wuss nally - I was the same when I had little ones - it's only now that I have teenagers that I realise they are human really (honest) & if I see a group, then usually either I've known some of them from school, or DD has been out with at least one of them!

harpsichordcarrier · 11/04/2007 21:20

oh I don't mind them. 99 times out of a hundred, they will just make room for the littler children if you ask them politely.
I always call them gentlemen .
they are just part of the community

Original poster
nallydoolally · 11/04/2007 21:25

the other thing they do (i may as well let it all out now that i have started) is they twist the swings around the sides of the swing frame so that they can use the middle as a goal, then stand at the other end of the playground kicking a ball through where the swings are supposed to be. the other day, whilst holding our bubbas (both aged 7 months), me and this other woman had to unwind the swings so that the little kids could have a go on them. v. annoying .
i made a friend though, as the other woman has only just moved into our street

OP posts:
ash6605 · 11/04/2007 21:28

we have just had a new park built on the playing field that my house backs on to.it has caused us nothing but trouble in the few weeks it has been ther.as i speak they are effing and blinding and throwing things at the fence,they are not kids they are teens.
they leave their beer cans,smashed glass bottles and pizza boxes all over the place and i can tell it is going to get worse in the summer with the light nights.

i was sat out in my garden the other day when a huge stone was lobbed at me,cutting my face about 1cm away from my eye.the police do not give a stuff.

Original poster
nallydoolally · 11/04/2007 21:31

the litter thing is a problem in our park too, but i am not sure if that is more of a council issue as there is only one bin and apart from the playground bit there is also a huge playing field... also there are NO doggy poop bins! i digress... we haven't had any actual violence though, as far as i know.

OP posts:
Pinkchampagne · 11/04/2007 21:35

I find this pretty annoying too.
I took my boys to the park the other day & it was just full of teenagers hanging out on all the equipment.

Londonmamma · 11/04/2007 21:47

The teenagers are just a few years on from your own DCs. People will be saying the same about yours as they get bigger! They are NOT a different species and as many on here have pointed out, if you smile and talk to them nicely they are generally cooperative. They may even be nice to your D.C. - I've had experiences where tough looking teenagers have happily and caringly included my D.C in a football game. Please don't assume that they are all bad, dangerous. They KNOW it's a children's park and if you ask them nicely they'll happily let your little ones on the swings etc. - go on, try it. Their mums might even be MNers.

ash6605 · 11/04/2007 21:58

ah well i must have imagined them saying "fuck you ya daft slut" when i'm dripping with blood from my eye then! maybe i should have asked them politely not to throw stones into MY garden aiming for my kids and eye-oops I mean I

2shoes · 11/04/2007 21:59

Londonmamma well said