to point out that my DS is next in line for the swing?

[logrrl]

...seriously, what's the etiquette when waiting for the swings? DS is not one yet and not yet independently mobile, so the swings are where it's at in the playpark.

Today there was a Mum waiting for the swing and I stood behind her, loosely queue-like, an then another Mum came along with her DS and said he would have to wait til the girl came off, at which point the woman who'd just gone looked at me, so I piped up "well, we're next!". I did so in a friendly manner but then immediately felt foolish and a bit shit, because my DS would actually have had no problem waiting, it was ME who didn't want to wait. The Mum in question seemed cool about it all and I made an embarrassed joke about queuing for swings blah blah...which she seemed receptive to, although I couldn't quite meet her eye

but was I a pushy unreasonable Mum?

I suspect that life is too short to be pondering such detail, but I have just spent 13hours with an 11 month old, and that conversation was the only one with an adult I had all day!

dunno i'd never queue for swings! i'd have pottered about putting him on the seesaw, or sliding him down the slide or having a look at the trees/flowers etc and then just used a swing when one became available

I think it is fine, please don't worry. And swings are a good place to have a chat with another adult if you are feeling a bit starved of conversation.

Ditto - YANBU but I'd never queue for a swing either - surely better to go do something else then come back when they're free?! Swings are a bit dull I always think (for me, anyway ) - I could never be bothered to push for more than a couple of minutes.

yeah, god, it sounds tragic doesn't it! to add extra context..the park was rammed, nightclub style (I can just about remember those)

Ooh, no, not a trivial matter at all. I wrestle with this one often. My DS is two and a half, but about the least assertive little boy you'll ever meet. Whenever we're at the swings or at soft play he'll always let other toddlers push past him onto the equipment - in fact, if there are even any other toddlers in the vicinity, he'll usually hang back and wait until they've all finished before he'll have a turn. I never know how far to assert his rights on his behalf - should I leave him to his own devices (and risk making him feel he's got no 'right' to a turn, or that I don't care whether or not he gets to have fun) or should I try to make sure he has his turn (and risk coming across as selfish / pushy / mean to other people's kids)? I think what you did was fine - sometimes wish I had the gumption to say similar myself .

If you had said that to me I certainly wouldn't have minded - especially with how busy the park was. Really I wouldn't worry about it! You were nice and polite. We are a bit shy us Brits!