To be annoyed by older sibling at toddler class?

[Cherryhill22]

My son attends a toddler football class for 2 year olds. There is another toddler there whose older brother, approx 7 years, also attends. The older brother takes part in the class despite not being paid for or part of the age range for the group. He shouts out answers to questions before the other children get a chance to answer, does all the activities and expects a badge at the end of the class. Aibu to be annoyed by this? There is another older sibling there who sits quietly with a book. Why can't this kid do this too?

Yes that'd be annoying, does the person running it not say anything?

What does the coach do/say ?

You're definitely not being unreasonable. It's obviously fine for him to be at the location but he shouldn't be participating and ruining it for the kids the class is aimed at. Would it be worth mentioning to the class instructor and asking if they could have a word with his parent about keeping him entertained in some other way?

I can't see that the instructor has said anything to the parent yet. The only thing he said was when the boy lined up to get a badge and certificate and he said 'you don't take this class'.

This would do my head in too. Can't you have a quiet word with the organisers?

It's not appropriate, particularly from a safety perspective. A 7 year old smashing into a 2 year old is not the same as two 2 year olds smashing into each other running after a ball. I would email the organiser and raise your concerns and ask how they plan to handle the situation if it happens again.

Is this Little Kickers? I had a nightmare time there with the instructors not controlling siblings (and parents chatting very loudly so the kids couldn't hear). I left in the end because none of the instructors did any kind of class management.

As PP says it’s downright dangerous as he’s physically so much bigger, can really kick a ball and 2YOs don’t have the best spacial awareness and could end up hurt. Not to mention that his inappropriate participation is ruining it for the LOs. Is there an phone/email contact for whoever is responsible for the class? Is it part of a franchise? I’d get on to them and say if this isn’t dealt with you want a refund as the class isn’t as advertised (only for 2YOs) and mostly importantly it isn’t safe.

OP we have a similar situation in my toddler's class. I'm not sure if the sibling expects a badge but he does take part and he's much bigger than the other kids. The other day he knocked my child over and I've been feeling quite annoyed about it ever since. I'm wondering about having a word with the coach if it continues - have you tried this?

I have two kids and would find it really annoying. I'm surprised the parent of their 2 year old doesn't find it annoying.

Even at home I have to tell my 4 year old to give my 2 year old a chance.

Be annoyed with the person taking the class, or the parent, not the child.

Yep i coild have written this. My 3.5 yr old goes to football for 2-4/5 yr olds. An older bro and sis attend with their brother. They run riot and sent my son flying and scare him with their noise. He has disabilities and cerebral palsy so is delayed and a bit unsteady. Feel i cant say anything as he has times where he gets overexcited and stims/flaps/screaches and probably annoys yhe others.

Has anyone actually complained or just quietly seethed?

Nothing will change unless they think its costing them paying customers.

This. Seven year olds aren’t really sophisticated enough to navigate this kind of situation without explicit direction from an adult. They’re still of an age they very much want to play but obviously dominate toddlers.

The instructor or the parent need to step up because that poor kid is going to be bewildered at the atmosphere.

That's awful. Talk to the person running the class. No way should the 7 year old be joining in

Email the organisers and ask if their insurance would cover an injury caused by an older child that has been permitted to join in with the activities. If it is a franchised business, copy in the parent company.

Ask the instructor how the liability insurance works with children participating who are not signed up and therefore haven’t signed a safety waiver? Like for instance how would it work if an unwaivered child injured another? Am sure that’ll do the trick!

I’d just be direct with the instructor. Say that it’s spoiling your enjoyment of the class and ask them to address the issue with the child’s parent.

Pisstaking parent doing a 2 for the price of 1 class. You need to complain to the organiser, because this is not what you signed up for (effectively a mixed age class), and make it clear you will not sign up again unless they resolve the matter. The organiser may be hoping for complaints to back up having words with the parent. And if they are not, then it's not a well organised class thinking about the safety of the little ones and what they are gaining from it, so dump it.

Yeah, this isn't fair. You signed your kid up because it was a toddler class and if there's a much older child dominating things, a toddler class is not what you've got. Plus, as others have said, a toddler can't compete with a child that age in any sporting sense; he will be much bigger, stronger and more coordinated than they are.

Also, if you had twin toddlers, you wouldn't get to enrol one of them and then just bring the other along to take part for free, so why should this 7-year-old be allowed to do that?! It's really unfair.

Definitely have a word with whoever runs the class - siblings shouldn't be taking part.

Make a complaint officially then.

Thanks all. I'm glad most agree this is not ok. I will definitely have a quiet word with the coach at the next class.

This is massively annoying and the adult leasing the session shouldn't allow it. I sometimes have this issue with beavers when a parent helper brings along another sibling who is scout age. I spend a lot of time reminding him that it's a beaver evening and he must let them take the lead.

Yes of course he gets a Marshmellow to toast over the fire, but after the beavers and not before.

Speak to the adult running the session as they need to deal with it. Of course it would be helpful if the parent did this themselves (as I used to when my DS was young enough to have to come to beavers with me).