Does anyone else find adults on the swings ridiculous?

[allfallsdown]

Can't really explain why but I find parents who go on the swings at the park so annoying. Just been to the park with my child and the swings are six swings on a wooden frame all facing each other like in a circle.
Extremely annoying dad on the swings going as high as possibly can and nearly kicking all the other kids feet every time he goes into the circle. Like why would anyone feel the need to do that. Especially when other kids have to wait a turn. Don't mind being told I'm miserable but I just find it ridiculous grown man acting like that, that is all.

I love going on the swings if it’s quiet.
I’ll sit next to dd and we’ll just both try to match each other. I love the feeling.
I don’t do it if it’s busy, and definitely not if there are kids waiting.

@keeprocking

The OP must be exhausted going through life looking for minor things at which to take offence. If there are no children waiting what harm is being done?

There was other children waiting. He nearly kicked my child. And his own kids wanted to be pushed but he was oblivious acting like a kid himself. How is that normal?

I love the swings. Don't take my joy away.

My toddler insists I go on the swing next to him and swing together holding hands if he goes on a swing so I have little choice. Its nice to rest my legs though.

I love going on the swings, obviously children have first option but if it is quiet in the playground I often have a go, so good for my mental health. I feel so free and happy

Exactly! Kids like their parents being part of it and doing what they do (within reason). If there were spare swings I'd join in with my kids, and spend a bit of soft play time racing them down the slides etc. Not all the time of course, but enough to have fun together, if it didn't stop others playing.

I find your view on it really odd, OP.

You're now turning it into a complaint about what this one parent did, which might have been annoying. But your OP was generalised to all parents who play alongside their kids at parks or soft play. And I'd say it's entirely normal and good to share part of a play activity with one's kids.

OP I think a lot of the later comments aren't actually reading the thread.

DH and I can’t wait for all the kiddy stuff we get to do when DS gets older. I’m on the swings, the monkey bars, I’m in the soft play, the babies pool, all of it.

I would never do those things to the detriment to another child but I want to have fun with my son, not just sit at the side and watch him. I dont care what any other adult thinks, I’m going to enjoy it before I’m too old to be able to!

It is not okay if other kids were waiting as you say OP, but in general, go for it. And soft play.

How are they designed only for children??

Unreasonable and uptight

YADBU.
I love going down the soft play slides (usually with my child on my lap) and into the soft play itself. It's nostalgic!

Like why would anyone feel the need to do that.

It's fun

No he shouldn't nearly kick other kids but we should all grab a bit of small pleasure like swings or slides when we can (if you want to that is).

If no child is kept waiting, why not? If a child is, then they should stop.

I love the swings, but I wouldn't occupy one at the expense of a child having a turn.

I felt a real sadness reading this. What do you do that is just silly, frivolous fun?

@MsStillwell

I felt a real sadness reading this. What do you do that is just silly, frivolous fun?

Sad about what? I don't act like a buffoon in the play area. I have plenty of fun

50/50 on that one - I used to join in if just me and DS at park/soft play and suddenly there would a load of other kids wanting to play whilst the mums were on their phones or chatting with their backs turned BUT there is a certain type of Dad who wants everyone to know that he is the crazy, quirky cool Dad but who actually looks like a twat and gets in other kids way!

I enjoy a go on the swings. I miss it now I don’t have young children.

Sad about what? I don't act like a buffoon in the play area. I have plenty of fun

Well, sad that you can't see the joy of trying out a swing past the age of 11.

Going on a swing is fun for all ages, I love it.

What fool decided putting swings in a circle is a good idea? Either way, an adult going on them when children are using them in that set up or waiting to use them in a linear set up is a selfish fool.

thanks for the drip feed

You started off with just all adults on swings are bad and now it's one bloke who is kicking the other children on the swing and keeping a long queue waiting while his own children weep forlornly at his lack of attention.

No need to be so judgy

LMAO. I'll admit to thinking OP was serious up until this point but I think you are laying it on a bit thick now. Enjoyable thread though- just enough MN hyacyninths will agree that no adult should ever have fun to keep it going.

I felt a real sadness reading this. What do you do that is just silly, frivolous fun?

Winding people up on MN, I think.

Keep up the good work, everybody. It's nice to have threads like this, instead of the endless bloody Covid ones! It almost feels like Mumsnet again.

I enjoy going on the swings when there aren't any kids waiting. Softplay, not so much - but when mine were very little I'd go with them to make sure they got round OK and yes, that was fun.

You sound altogether joyless, OP.

I went to the play park at around 10pm when very drunk and stoned at centre parcs last year. It was great fun and I felt a bit sad that I had missed all those years of using play equipment because I was so boring and uptight.

YABU. I always say that now that I have kids it’s great to have an excuse to get on a swing!