To have said this to woman at playground?

[Selfishbitch123]

Was at playground this afternoon with my children, and there was a woman there with her toddler (I would guess aged 2 or a bit under).

The woman was outside the fence vaping and watching the toddler. The toddler got herself into trouble a few times - I picked her off a ladder when she snagged a sleeve on it and got stuck and started crying, and another woman took her off the slide when she was climbing up. At this point, I turned to the woman and said 'excuse me, your child needs your help.' She just smiled vaguely at me and I was so embarrassed at speaking out that I went to hide at the other side of the playground.

Now I know we shouldn't judge others from a snapshot - maybe she was getting a second's rest from a crazy day, or maybe her parenting style is very hands off or whatever. But was IBU to react like this?

Did she go and help her? Why were you embarrassed?

I don't understand why you were embarrassed?

I don't know what happened after she failed to respond as I went away. And yes I was embarrassed in case I'd spoken out of turn and been rude.

She should be embarrassed not you.

You pointed out that her child needed her. That was true so what is there to be embarrassed about?

You then left her to it, which was also fair enough. Her child, her responsibility. Why the need to be embarrassed?

She should have been the one feeling embarrassed because it shouldn't have needed explaining to her.

Why were you embarrassed? That makes no sense at all!

I wouldn't have got involved, she could see her child and it's her judgement as to if her kid needs help.

Some people try and worry about what my kids are doing on the climbing frame. And I tell them it's ok, don't worry, they're fine. I know what my kids are capable of. I certainly wouldn't be taking a two year old off a slide... they're exploring and it's not dangerous.

So yeah, I wouldn't have said anything, but I wouldn't feel embarrassed or hide,,,, that's an over reaction!

You were not unreasonable

Perhaps she didn't speak English?

Hey there, I get why you said what you did, and you should not feel bad. We are part of a community we need to talk to each other!
That she did not reply, yeah it's odd, but hey, people are odd. Maybe she did not speak English, or was spacing out.
I find playgrounds a bit difficult too, how much freedom are you supposed to give, when should you intervene?
You intervened when you thought you had to, you spoke to the parent when you thought you should. Excellent, good job, move on.

No need for embarrassment, you did the right thing. You see this kind of piss poor parenting all the time. We’ve been to popular attraction today and it was full of parents glued to their phones, ignoring their kids (even when they are trying to their attention). I do wonder why some people bother having them.