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.

I would use our local outside gym if it wasn't over run by kids.

I don’t buy that as a wholesale excuse.

I’ve literally never seen an adult use one in my life. I’ve seen plenty of deserted ones.

Could you contact the council (and maybe the councilor with the parks responsibility) and ask them to consider putting up some sort of fencing with a gate to access and clearer signage to make it clear it's a separate area and not for younger kids?

If you emphasise the point about the risk of injury to kids using the equipment they might be more inclined to do something (if to simply avoid compensation claims).

It's public equipment to be used by all

@Throwntothewolves not at my local one it's 13+

How old is your son? Isn't playing in a regular park encouraging exercise too?

Or can't you encourage exercise without doing it in spaces that are not meant for kids?

How on earth was a si year old child going to use an adult exercise bike anyway? Optimistic on the part of the mum!

Even the most avid swings and slides enthusiast will be bored of them by now

Welcome to the 60's/70's.

Kids have given up an awful lot this year. There have been no classes, no soft play, school closures, no swimming, no travelling, no grandparents, no days out for such a long time...

And again..... I know, I know, things have changed. But it does make me nostalgic for the days when children were content with simple pleasures. I used to swing for hours, or skip, or bounce a ball off a wall. I am a perfectly rounded human being, despite not being able to access all this lovely extra stuff that parents and children now expect as their right. Sometimes I feel SO OLD .

@TheKeatingFive

In theory YANBU but in reality, this stuff is barely used by adults. So it seems a bit churlish to keep children off it if they are being properly supervised.

They weren't being properly supervised. There parents were in the play park (lots of seating including picnic benches as opposed to no seating in the outdoor gym)

Well, yes. I suspect we probably wouldn't get on if we met in real life. And since I'm over 14 and supervising my daughter, you'd be politely told to wait until we had finished, just as I would wait until you were finished rather than asking you to vacate a piece of equipment.

This is what I love about Mumsnet. The over entitled parents have no shame in admitting their little Jimmies and Jemimas are the most precious thing on God's earth and trump everyone else's needs and feelings 🤣🤣

Until they realised they've raised a rude over entitled teenager and then they come here in tears, asking where it all went wrong...

@OhShitShit

I’m torn. Prepared to be flamed too....

Normally I’d say YANBU, and I certainly don’t let my DS play on the adult gym equipment BUT for over a year now- until last week- parents have had nowhere to take their kids except the local park. (Where we live we’ve only had a break from lockdown / additional measures for a few weeks all year)

Even the most avid swings and slides enthusiast will be bored of them by now.

Kids have given up an awful lot this year. There have been no classes, no soft play, school closures, no swimming, no travelling, no grandparents, no days out for such a long time...

I understand why you were annoyed, I really do. To be honest though, I’d find it hard to get upset on my own account in the current context.

So if a parent had posted to say they had taken their child to the local childrens play park and it was overrun by adults using the equipment for exercises you would also say it was ok to use the childrens equipment as gyms had be closed for so long they needed to do it somewhere?

We had similar at our local park. What makes it worse is it’s a huge park, with 3 separate children’s play areas. They also have tennis and netball/basketball courts which were also being overrun by dog owners who liked to let their dogs off in the enclosed space. I think so many people complained to the council that they’ve hired park rangers now who patrol the park and make sure everyone’s using equipment for its intended purpose!

Stick to your guns op, don’t let them get away with it!

And FWIW I haven't joined a gym because aside from the fact I'd only really get to use it EOW because I'm a single mum, the female only gym I was a member of closed down because of COVID and I refuse to share gyms with sweaty selfish equipment-hogging men who never clean their arse sweat off the seats and mansplain kettle bells to me

@TheKeatingFive

I would use our local outside gym if it wasn't over run by kids.

I don’t buy that as a wholesale excuse.

I’ve literally never seen an adult use one in my life. I’ve seen plenty of deserted ones.

But you get that all areas/parks are different yes?

I have to walk through my local park on the way to work twice a day and the adult gym equipment is nearly always in use.

Even more so lately as there are lots of local fitness groups on FB that meet in the park.

@FireflyRainbow

YANBU op. My son got a fag burn to the face once running past a mum smoking inside the park. Was his bday aswell poor thing.

your poor son! Disgraceful

Yes but the difference is your an adult and presumably mature enough to understand the reasons behind the restrictions over the last year and continuing restrictions. This period of time is a huge chunk of your life if you have only existed for 8 years as opposed to 38!

This whole kids are not society's problem is so individualistic and selfish. Children and their outcomes should be considered a society issue as it is one!

Well, yes. I suspect we probably wouldn't get on if we met in real life. And since I'm over 14 and supervising my daughter, you'd be politely told to wait until we had finished, just as I would wait until you were finished rather than asking you to vacate a piece of equipment.

But your child isn't over 14? So I'd be telling you not so politely to sling your hook and take them in the park where they belong.

WHY are there so many fucking entitled parents? Why do you think it's ok to behave like this?

It's annoying but nearly a guarantee at the weekend.

I dont see whats wrong with waiting for the people who are already using the equipment to finish. Yes its annoying if people are on the things you want to use, and I feel much the same when im in the actual gym and people are faffing around on equipment without exercising properly, but in a public area next to a play park, then id definitely expect kids to sometimes be on it. Youd already been for a run. The gyms are back open now, which children cant use, and these outdoor machines dont give a great workout for adult fitness enthusiasts anyway, and kids arent there all the time. You just got unlucky. I think youre being grinchy and weird about it.

@TheKeatingFive

I would use our local outside gym if it wasn't over run by kids.

I don’t buy that as a wholesale excuse.

I’ve literally never seen an adult use one in my life. I’ve seen plenty of deserted ones.

Well look at me - I'm now officially put off. You don't see all the adults who would be using the equipment but aren't because of kids

But you get that all areas/parks are different yes?

Of course, that’s why I said wholesale. I’m sure it is true in some circs, but overall, I don’t think adults are particularly keen on using them, regardless.

You don't see all the adults who would be using the equipment but aren't because of kids

Well I would expect to see more of a presence from adults attempting to. Like I say, never once in my life.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

And FWIW I haven't joined a gym because aside from the fact I'd only really get to use it EOW because I'm a single mum, the female only gym I was a member of closed down because of COVID and I refuse to share gyms with sweaty selfish equipment-hogging men who never clean their arse sweat off the seats and mansplain kettle bells to me

well then you have to take your chances with selfish equipment hogging kids in the public park on a busy saturday instead then, or keep up with your running. There are also PAYG exercise classes and there are loads of youtube workouts.

@Goldenbear

Yes but the difference is your an adult and presumably mature enough to understand the reasons behind the restrictions over the last year and continuing restrictions. This period of time is a huge chunk of your life if you have only existed for 8 years as opposed to 38!

This whole kids are not society's problem is so individualistic and selfish. Children and their outcomes should be considered a society issue as it is one!

And therefore they should be in the readily available and ample park. It's not like there's nowhere for them to go, the play park is enormous

Surely it's 13+ because it's not safe for younger children?

I do see adults using the ones close to me, but i also see kids using them., Im just glad to see them being used, and id like to see more of them put up

As a fitness instructor, this sounds pretty bad from a health and safety/safeguarding standpoint. There is no way children should be left to play unsupervised, where weights and other potentially dangerous equipment exist.