To expect that mums will not let their 10 year olds go rampaging over the 0-4 section in soft play?

[alicet]

I was at a large soft play centre recently that has several different areas to suit children of different ages so all can play safely. My ds (16 months) loves it in the 0-4 section.

Unfortunately some mums seem to think that its OK for their 10 year old children to go rampaging through the same 0-4year section which makes it unsafe for my ds to play on. While I accept that 10 year olds don't need the same level of supervision that 16 month olds do, I don't think it should be my responsibility to ask them to play in the area for their age while their mums drink coffee oblivious.

AIBU?

I have complained about this to the staff at our local soft play and they also failed to do anything about it

I don't think it is your job to enforce the rules of the centre, I would complain to staff

when nothing was done after I complained, I wrote to the manager and got sent free passes to the centre

She said there was nothing they could do if parents failed to comply with their regulations

Bollocks - chuck them out!

I think the problem is with the management. If it happens again you need to talk to the staff. The staff need to tell the 10 year olds that if they enter the 0 to 4 area again that they will be asked to leave the complex.

If the staff do nothing then you should ask for your money back.

It is understandable if a child between the ages of 5 and 7 makes a mistake as many of them can't read. However a ten year old has ZERO excuse.

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Fio that had not occurred to me

Have you been asked to remove dd by play centre staff or other parents

I just hate it when my 18 month dd gets knocked over by a sweaty 4 upwards full stop. Sorry!

i think if they are 10 year olds tearing about you should ask for your money back or for them to sort it out

No, except other than as Fio says, if the child has special needs so that the 5 and under area is more appropriate for them to play in.

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Totally agree that in Fio's situation it is not a problem.

Unfortunately its not always obvious who the child belongs to - it's a massive centre.

ds1 gets told off for not using mats on the mat slide. Then I get told off for following on behind him. I take someone young agile and thinner than me these days to keep up with him; between us we manage it. Fio you shouldn't be on the big stuff in your condition- use a lovely girl

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The staff are wondering about cleaning up in the cafe, on the door and walking between the entrance and the cafe at the back. But there is no-one supervising the play areas.

I try to go at quiet times before school closes and the bigger kids arrive but thats not always practical

Can you not just say "this bit's for under 4's" or whatever? Most kids I know would say "oh sorry" and move (even the well 'ard ones )

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wow fio- lovely girl sounds wonderful!

If a 10 year old is able to rampage round an under fours area then they certainly have no mobility problems. A physically disabled ten year old is not likely to trample on a toddler.

The whole point of under fours area is to stop young children being trampled on. Over fours with special needs which don't affect their mobility should play in the area designated for them.

I don't think the areas set aside for older children are always accessible by parents, though, frances

they aren't all at our one

I would think depending on the special need that the parent might want to be able to assist their child, even if not physical problems?

Our aren't either F&Z- although I ignore the signs and go on (they're not accessible in terms of there being some areas I can't fit in- which is why I take a slim lovely girl as well!)

The sensory room in ours- which is there for children with SN is in the under 4's bit. Ds1 is more interested in climbing on the big stuff, but I would struggle to get him out if he decided that he was going in the under 4's- the problem with LD's, they can't always be reasoned with. Like Fio I would never go when it was remotely busy anyway. We only go as it opens with troops and leave as soon as the numbers increase.

At my local softplay area, the staff wouldn't be able to rely on the "oh the parents should be supervising" pass-the-buck clauss. As part of the Terms and Conditions of using the centre, parents have to sign to say that their children are to be supervised at all times, and that staff have the right to ask parents/children to leave.

Not quite sure if this has ever happened, because I've often wanted to ask quite a few kids AND their parents to leave!!!!!

I suppose we are lucky in that there are quite a few soft play areas near us.
The soft play areas near us are quite happy to make an exception and let parents go on the main frame if there was good reason.

There is no excuse for an older child trampling on a toddler. Most soft play areas have seperate areas for good reason. Toddlers have rights too. Its hard balancing the needs of all children.

The majority of older children who run about in the under four areas DO NOT have special needs though. They just have lazy parents. If they had learning difficulties then its likely their carer would be in the under fours area with them. I am sure that the carer would ensure that they are not trampling toddlers.

well no I don't let ds1 rampage over anyone- just sometimes he's ahead of me and I can't stop him. It's one reason why I hate taking him to pick up ds2 from his after school club- there are little children there as well (aged 3) and ds1 climbs on their slide and is a bit oblivious to them. I'm just not able to stop him whilst looking after ds3 and signing ds2 out .

gess, I am sure that if your child got into the the under fours area you would have at least noticed and would be making an effort to get your son into the right area.

The problem is parents who don't care that their older child is jumping all over small children. They sit in the cafe without caring a damn.