Ok I had a child free day today as DSs were with ex so I took myself over to Canary Wharf where I sat in the gardens outside Jubilee Place eating a lovely lunch.
A group of parents and kids (mostly under 6) came there to have a picnic, sat down started to swig champagne.
Meanwhile the children are drawn, quite naturally, to the various, quite deep ponds (about 3-4 ft) which raise up out of the ground.
One little boy in particular was very keen to dip his feet in etc. One of the dads came over and half heartedly told them that they shouldn't do that because they might fall in.
Then went back to the group most of whom had the back turned towards the kids. Then the kids decided to play it which was fiine.
But they were drawn back to the ponds and when I left the said boy was leaning over to retrieve something from some stepping stones. Parents not looking. Another whose parents were sunbathing was walking around the edge!
Another mother coming by with her child in a pushchair looked horrified and I did pass comment to her.
I am not normally so judgy judgy but this made me feel really anxious and in the end I left because I couldn't stand to see one of these kids fall in.
I like a drink as much as the next person and know how easy it is to get distracted when in a group. But where water is concerned I feel you can't be too careful.
OK rant over.