Embarrassing park trip fail

[Worriedly2]

Took my little ones to the park yesterday.

Dd has just turned 3, ds is 2 next month and, Jesus christ, it was just a nightmare.

Dd refused to share the equipment with anyone else and screamed at the other children when they went near the slide, even if she wasn't on it.

Ds cried because dd was crying

People were staring and it was so embarrassing. We left after literally 5 minutes.

Is this just my bad parenting? Everyone else's kids were playing nicely.

We left because I had told dd she had to be kind and share or we would have to go. She carried on so we left.

Just wanted to have a nice time with them and it was a screaming, humiliating mess.

Is it normal?

How are they usually when you take them though? Surely you know yourself if this was a one off? I mean...you must have taken them before right?

Were they tired or hungry? I sometimes noted my toddlers behaved badly when they were coming down with something too.

2 & 3 year olds aren't well known for sharing or letting other people have their things! It just sounds like a very bad day for everyone. Just forget about it and move on. We've all been the parent with the screaming kids when everyone else appeared to be playing nicely.... I sure have! I remember my eldest having an absolute screaming meltdown in a shop and I ended up having to haul her out, whilst heavily pregnant,like a rugby ball under my arm whilst everyone stared. It was mortifying. But it happens to everyone don't worry OP!

We normally go first thing before one of us starts work, they wake up at 5.30 so we can get there for 6.30 and it's empty, have a picnic breakfast and it's nice.

Went in the afternoon and it's busier. Tbh a combination of dh's job, my job and the pandemic has just filled me with guilt that they've missed out on a lot of socialisation and when I have an extra day off and do something differently it highlighted the gap in development.

It could have just been a bad day, it was just seeing every other child taking turns and having fun that got to me.

It was probably just the surprise of it for them...you should just keep at it because they will get used to it.

Are you kidding is it normal?! I think maybe you've been spoiled so far lol...I think at this age they're getting to the point they can understand cause and effect. It may still take time for their brain to wire things together but the best thing you can do is make the choices and consequences simple. Eg she plays nice or you go home. You absolutely did the right thing. I promise if you're as none-confrontational as you can be about it it does work eventually. Eg mine is allowed a little TV and used to have epic tantrums when we turned the TV off. I talked to her about it whilst she was calm and told her it was unacceptable to behave like that and that if it upset her that much I'd have to keep the TV off for a few days. After inevitably tantruming the next time we turned the TV off I followed through. You know what? Barely any fuss now about turning the TV off. She happily turns it off when we ask her to. It's so tough I know especially in public when your parenting is in the spotlight but just keep your cool, say what you mean and mean what you say as it sounds like you did and acknowledge but don't pander to those big emotions and I promise it gets easier xx

Good lord, you deserve a medal for getting two kids under 3 to the park at 6:30am. I give myself a pat on the back if I manage to drag mine there before midday!

Honestly, it sounds like bad luck, especially if they're used to the place being deserted then I can see why your 3 year old wouldn't understand and get possessive of the equipment.

I think you did the right thing in aborting the park trip, embarrassing or not. Maybe for next time, I'd make the effort to travel to a new park to see if there's less possessiveness?

Omg my 2 year old DS does this all the time at the park. He beats his chest and screams "mine" at other children the minute they try and come anywhere him and what he's playing with. It is hard!! I'm hoping it's just a phase he'll grow out of. I keep having to apologise to other parents when their children come over to try and play!