To expect an outdoor gym to not be used as a playground by children?

[FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]

Went for a run yesterday and afterwards went into an outdoor gym which is (unfortunately) next to a kids' play park. There are some weights attached to vertical beams, an exercise bike, ropes, cross trainer and markings on the ground for relay runs. Loads of signs saying age 13+ only and children weren't to use it as play equipment.

It was absolutely over run with small kids aged about 4-10 climbing all over it, using the equipment and just generally getting in the way while their parents sat in the play park in clear sight of them doing nothing. When I did manage to use some equipment kids were waiting as if we were taking turns. I'd been on the exercise bike for about 15 minutes with one little girl who was about 6 staring at me...she went to get her mum who actually came and asked if her DD could have a go as she'd been waiting for ages I said no this bike is for adults and they she got all huffy and was all "Never mind darling, the lady won't get off so we'll have to just wait won't we". I was then doing relays on the markings and they were running in front of me nearly knocking into me. I gave up in the end!

Is it really so much to ask that parents tell their children to keep out of adult only areas and stay in the massive park built for children? Want to go again today as it's a great little gym, council spent a small fortune but CBA with all the unsupervised kids.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop for education secretary! Saying what many people and teachers think! Absolute legend! 👏👏👏👏👏

Unbelievable ! What entitled parents ! Just the sort to try and sue if their little darlings get injured. Stick em out op everyone's had a tough time.

My local is always busy. It often gets kids after school - especially one part. At the weekends it's normally mixed between adult and kids, generally being tolerant of each other.

Daytimes and evenings it's always busy with adults - try a different time of day.

Thank you all

I shall work on my manifesto. I promise it shall not include "When 5yo Timmy wants to use a circular saw to drill through his forehead for fun, first ask how he feels about that, why it wouldn't be sensible idea and how he feels about perhaps doing something different" (I also read How To Talk So Kids Would Listen, laughed, stopped half way though and out it in the charity bag )

It does make me wonder what these children get for Christmas and birthdays. A chainsaw maybe or a nice knife set if they ask nicely.

I'm completely team OP, but I wish people wouldn't turn it into a condemnation of all modern parents. The OP encountered a lot of ineffectual, probably lazy parents and one really rude one (the one who asked for her daughter to have a go) but I'm sure there were a lot of other children at the park whose parents had said no and who therefore weren't on the equipment. We all tend to notice badly behaved children and not the usually much larger number behaving well. I have never encountered anyone in real life who on principle doesn't believe in the word no, and I hear it plenty when I'm at toddler places and activities (and use it myself). I have met some ineffectual, over indulgent parents but this is neither universal or new - Roald Dahl obviously thought there were enough of them to satirise back in 1964.

@Hardbackwriter. I agree with you. I was also team OP (and am still team OP on the original issue) until it became a bizarre series of rants (not all the OP, to be fair) about modern parenting and entitled toddlers and nurseries where the word "no" is never even quietly whispered.

#teamcommonsense

@Hardbackwriter completely agree. This is becoming embarrassing to read.

@Hardbackwriter of course it's not all modern parents - but too many, and enough to spill out into other people's lives. I'm certainly not a "children should be seen and not heard" type of person - I just refuse to be called names because I won't help a random stranger with their dodgy parenting at my own expense

Sterling work FrangipanDeLaSqueegeeMop , from a former swimmer who never understood why certain parents used to let their children mess about in the fast lane when they had two other pools and an open swimming section to play in.

Honestly why does everything have to be for kids? This is clearly not suitable for children. I would haven't let my DS near that stuff as it's dangerous and not for children. Do go back!

@TheNestedIf complain! Enough people complained about kids during lane swimming sessions to my local leisure centre and now the sessions are for age 12 and above, and children under that have to go to the family sessions. I'm very lucky as they also have sex segregated lane swimming sessions - so splashy men doing the butterfly trying to overtake me. Winning 💪🏼

*NO splashy men, that should say

[quote FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]@TheNestedIf complain! Enough people complained about kids during lane swimming sessions to my local leisure centre and now the sessions are for age 12 and above, and children under that have to go to the family sessions. I'm very lucky as they also have sex segregated lane swimming sessions - so splashy men doing the butterfly trying to overtake me. Winning 💪🏼 [/quote]
Oh my God, heaven. I posted really early in the thread about my experiences with local leisure centres - they all said they'd never been asked about adult swimming lane sessions before, and that if children are playing in the lanes then they're entitled to use the pool, soooooo….

I feel like I need to ask you, as Secretary of State to be... could your first act be to sort out swimming pools please? (I'm now a member of a private gym which is ££££ but worth it 'cos their priority is adults. And even they don't sex-segregate, which sounds like HEAVEN.)

@trixies absolutely - public swimming pools being less revolting will be in my top 5 priorities. Along with

• scrapping school attendance awards (AKA punish sick children award)
• revamping policies on postnatal wards so they're don't represent the seventh circle of hell
• scrap fines for holidays in term time and actually give each family an allowance of 2 weeks holiday
• ban men wearing socks with sandals

[quote FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop]@trixies absolutely - public swimming pools being less revolting will be in my top 5 priorities. Along with

• scrapping school attendance awards (AKA punish sick children award)
• revamping policies on postnatal wards so they're don't represent the seventh circle of hell
• scrap fines for holidays in term time and actually give each family an allowance of 2 weeks holiday
• ban men wearing socks with sandals[/quote]

Banning socks with sandals?! How dare you impinge upon a man's curiosity and inquisitiveness in the sartorial space?!

(I love a sock and sandal. I'm not voting for you anymore. :P)

This thread reminds me of when my best friend's son started at a nursery in our village hall about 25 years ago.

The nursery was run by two 'professionals' but required the help of parents on a rota basis to keep it running.

Friend was more than happy to do this but the first time she went she was handing round the biscuits and milk and was saying pointedly - thank you - as each child helped themselves. Oh no, says one of the professionals, we don't ask the children to say thank you, it has to come from within them! My friend asked how the children would learn manners but didn't really get a reply.

Another time she helped she told off her own son for running riot and barging into another child knocking him/her over and told him to take more care and watch out for others. Oh no Mrs A, says the professional, we don't bring attention to their behaviour in a group setting, just take him outside and explain it to him there, and here we are led by the children. She noticed that there was a constant stream of children being taken outside but the general behaviour didn't improve. She also said that behaviour at home deteriorated with her son saying, but Mrs B says we can.

I think she only lasted a couple of months, she said it was pandamonium with kids running riot, with sensible behaviour never being encouraged. The nursery itself only lasted a short while because of the state the room was being left in. Paint, glitter and spilt stuff everywhere.

It was such a same it could have been perfect for the village.