A classic soft play AIBU

[DinoNuggetsRUs]

So at soft play today, there was a football box section with two goals on either side.
probably about five or six 3-4 year olds in there and a couple of older kids around 6 or 7.
the older kids were absolutely belting the ball about really hard. Mums were stood on the side telling them to keep the ball low and the kids were just pretty much ignoring them. After the 3rd time one of my two 4 year olds got belted on the side of the head with the ball I said to the mum ‘can you take him out?’ as it was the same boy who was doing it and he wasn’t paying attention to what she was saying when she was asking him to be more careful. It was a knee jerk thing for me to say cause I was pissed off but in my head I was thinking, he’s not doing as he’s told, if that was my child I would have removed them from the situation or at least got them apologise. He definitely wasn’t doing it on purpose he was just kicking the ball too hard.
My kids were taking shelter in one of the goals at one end as the balls we’re just coming from everywhere at high speeds and she said the kids were unable to play football because mine were sat in the goal, there was a goal the other side but I kinda see her point but they were scared to come out as they kept being twatted by the ball.
Anyway, me and the other mum ended up having a chat which turned quite heated, I kept saying to her I’m not trying to have an argument, it’s just mine was on the floor crying and her child was STILL booting the ball around at high speed. I ended up just getting mine out of there, which I probably should have just done in the first place tbh without mentioning anything.

Looking back, I genuinely don’t know whether I was being unreasonable or whether the other mum was for not taking her child out when he was ignoring what she was saying.

Mine have autism too which is maybe why I was a bit more sensitive to it.

You were silly to let them ‘hide in the goal.’

See, what’s the need? You weren’t there when I said it, it WAS heat of the moment but I didn’t snap or shout, I said it in a kind of ‘please can you help me out’ way as in please can you take him out? (Because he’s kicking the ball still while my child is still crying and wasn’t stopping) yes he may have had every right to be kicking the ball in that area but, in that moment, I needed to be able to get my child out without him being hit again.
oh and to address the foam ball thing from other commenters, they weren’t foam balls they were akin to the beach balls you get from smyths with peppa pig on and stuff.

A soft YABU for not enforcing the goal etiquette. Its not a safe place to hang out and it prevents other children playing.

a bit like when parents let their kids climb up slides. One day you’ll get booted in the face as a kid sides down it you couldn’t see so it’s best to know you don’t climb up slides.

i get why they went there but you should have moved them out and to the entrance of the pitch to watch on the side lines, or play in one half of the pitch.

the other parents were unreasonable for letting their children dominate a shared area, which was already in use. If you’re a going to share a space you shouldn’t make it unusable for others.

I would love to see what reaction this would have got 😂

Were they in there playing football or just running about? You haven't answered the numerous posters who've asked this

Lol totally this. Just admit defeat and let the older ones play football.

They were kicking the balls between themselves and at the wall but not using the goals, so half and half?

YANBU, but I when I see something like this going on, I just get my child out of there. Some people don't parent, and I'm not having my kid getting hurt as a result.

No one is getting hurt with a Peppa pig style blow up football even if David Beckham curled it round to knock your dc on right on the nose.

I think then the question for the other mum would be 'can you ask your son to stop for a second so I can get my child out of there and he can play' not 'please get your son out so my toddler can kick a ball at the wall'

Exactly.

@DinoNuggetsRUs

I’m with you! Think you said you were there first, the older children came in and were being inconsiderate to the younger kids and were not listening to what their Mum said.
It should be an area for all to play in and if anyone wants to play more roughly, they wait until the smaller kids have gone.
I think I’d have ‘policed’ it without saying anything. Gone in, played with the younger kids and deflected any hard balls.

Soft play is shit. I'm back to it now after a few years. I went to one yesterday with a 7yr old she started playing with another 2 girls. After about 20mins I could hear blood curdling screaming and went to check. My dc was sitting in the ball pit joining in with these 2 girls (aged about 6&8) who were just sitting screaming. I said I hope that's not you screaming, it's so unnecessary. The girls looked a bit shocked.
Mums stood (right next to the netting)scrolling on her phone, oblivious.
Don't think I'm suited to soft play
Why cant parents, parent their dc

Like a said, it was a knee jerk reaction but also not an unkind one or an aggressive one in the tone I said it. My son was crying, I was trying to dodge projectiles myself while sorting him out, it just seems like common sense to ask your child to stop for a moment while the upset child was comforted and taken away? I certainly would have, just to help the other mum out a bit if anything. What’s your issue with then kicking a ball against the wall as, as many other people have pointed out to me, kicking balls is exactly what that area is for…

It's not an issue, it's just not 'football' is it? And the other kids were playing football. It's just how that space is going to be used the minute older kids are around and I would think it's my responsibility to take my children out if they were upset instead of challenging another parent - particularly when it was clear that she wasn't going to do anything anyway.

I have one kid who would have loved it and one who would have been lying on the floor crying so I do understand. But just because my daughter doesn't like that sort of play doesn't mean no one can enjoy it.

Mostly I tried to never challenge other parents because I absolutely hate confrontation. Not always the best move either to be honest!

I would definitely just remove my kid.

When mine were little I steered them away from the football area, I see that as the area for the older children. I thought the older ones should have a space to play without little ones getting in the way.
When they were babies I put them in the baby area as young children run and jump in the main soft play and again, they should be able to play how they like to play.
I think you should have removed your children, if they were sat in the goal scared they weren't making any good use of the area like the boys who were kicking the ball.

I think you probably should have moved your children and let the older ones keep doing what the area is meant for.