To think this mum was neglectful

[mistletoeandwine86]

Was at the playground today with DH and 2yo DC, one of us was following him carefully around the climbing frames etc.

2 other mums come into playground, with 1 DC each a bit older than mine, i'd say 4 yo. One mum had a baby in pushchair too. They were chatting and not staying very close to their DC who were running around playing together. First mum then took her DD to the toilet.

Second mum stayed in playground with baby in pushchair and DS playing. Her DS climbs on a big climbing frame and she watches him but doesn't stay close. She walks round the edge pushing her baby in pushchair and he goes the other way on the climbing frame. Next thing he falls off, the mum calls him but didn't see him fall off He starts crying and she calls him again, leaves pushchair but still can't see him so my DH has to tell her that he fell off and where he is!

To be fair to her she does go straight round to him and picks him up but he fell about 3feet! AIBU to think that she should have been watching him closer?? DH and i always supervise our DS 100% on play equipment and follow him around.

By 4 I barely even looked at my kids in the playground. They went and did their thing, I'd sit and chat with a friend. I certainly didn't follow them everywhere.

There's a big difference between a 2 and a 4 year old.

Why on earth didn't one of you or your dh rush straight over to the child, given you were closer? It seems you did nothing to help, but held back to judge instead. That's pretty sad.

Yabvu.

Sanctimonious and unpleasant.

In the same way that your 2yr old is completely different developmentally to a newborn, a 4yr old is different again. And they could have been small 5-6 yr olds for all you know, different again. No parent wants their child to be hurt but you have to let them learn as well - playgrounds are a great resource for this. Oh, and one of mine broke his elbow a foot away from me whilst I was looking at him and another broke her wrist doing something she’d been doing absolutely fine for 40min again right in front of me. Neither time was neglect!! Grr so judgemental.

DH and i always supervise our DS 100% on play equipment and follow him around.

And when he is 4?

Firstly-why didn't one of you help the little boy after he fell?
Secondly-we have 3!! DH and I are clearly outnumbered so I suppose this means no more park for us?

Always easy to judge from afar OP...

Not neglect op obviously!

DS was climbing to the top of those huge net climbing frames at 3, I certainly wasn't following him around.

French - I imagine this op will indeed be following her dc around when he's 4. Probably helping him on equipment designed for bigger kids, looking around to see who's watching her marvellous parenting and wonderful child, when all anyone is thinking is 'get your fucking kid off this.'

Hope your judgey pants are comfy today....

Never mind all that! Can I just congratulate PaulHollywoodsSexGut for the use of parsimonious arse, as an insult. 🤣 I shall be adding that to my list of insults.

What a stupid thing to say. Neglectful? Try being a single parent watching two young children.
Do you not think it's hard enough without ridiculous judgemental comments. Maybe pay a bit more attention to your own behaviour.

While I'm not saying you abandon your child, we used to follow our first around, catching him before he fell etc. He's 11 now and he has had everything done for him even in school where other kids feel bad for him ( he's not pathetic or anything, and he's the nicest boy, funny and friends with the whole class, but so lazy and entitled and hates getting dirty etc) so stepping back the odd time isn't a bad thing

Then I neglect my kids every time we go to the park 😂 get a life ffs, they’re not made of glass.

Jeez. Children should be left to play not followed. They need to learn how to take risks, make decisions and how to negotiate. You take all of that away by following them around. Plenty of kids fall 3ft and live to tell the tail. Stop judging others,

Her child fell and you think it was neglect? Don't be so ridiculous. Children fall all the time.

Maybe better log it with 101 🙄

Do you manage to be supermum at the park without Superdad in tow to assist you with your 2 year old?

Oh fuck off you parsimonious arse

Oh that is the best thing I've read on here in ages

Children need to be able to explore and test their boundaries. They will never learn not to fall off something if they are never given the chance to get close to the edge!
Yes a 2 year old who may have only been walking a few months will need closer care than a 4 year old.
A playground is an acceptable place to allow a child to run around and play. It’s not like she was letting him run around the edge of a cliff or climb a quarry!

Don't be a prick that's not neglect

Hahahaha I see people like you at the park all the time, following their kid around... "Careful, Monty, that's terribly high, mummy thinks maybe you should just go on the small slide what do you think darling, oh, careful, that's a bit too much for you darling" meanwhile Monty either totally ignores or grows up wet and useless.

It's good for kids to practice some independence and learn what they can and cannot physically do.

You watched him fall and start crying and didn’t take him over to his mum, who was probably trying to get the baby to nap or something? When there were two of you? Wtf.

FFS! Pearl clutching MN at its finest! Kid fell in playground! Call Social Services.

Don’t throw the word “neglect” around like that.

Were you hoping you’d post this and everyone would tell you that the other mother was a horrible person, you are a much better mum and that they’d be sending you a medal in the post?

How misguided. I’m sure this thread will be removed soon but before it goes...

You sound awful and so judgemental. Neglect! What is wrong with you.