I think this childminder was neglecting her mindees...

[KnockedUpMell]

At the playground, there was a little boy (around 18m-2y I think) who ran out of the gate when another family got in. The mum who had gotten in looked all around the enclosed space for the parent /minder, but only got quizzical looks from all the other parents there. I guess she assumed they were in the larger park and let him out. Five minutes later, the CM (who has been sitting in the far corner and not watching him) notices he is in the larger park and calls for him to come back.

Not long after, there are terrified screams from a girl (maybe 5y) who has gotten stuck on the whirly cup ride and is going round at very high speed, and at one point she goes really limp and is almost flung out of it. Fortunately she was alrigght. Again the cm did not notice that the mindee is in danger and it took her a while to come to the help of this poor girl.

I didn't do / say anything (nor did any of the other parents), but now feel guilty for not doing so. After all if that was my child she was minding, I would have wanted another parent to say something... What would you have done??

Should add, she only seemed to have 3 kids, 2 older ones (around 5), and the little boy. She spent the afternoon basking in the sunshine and was not busy with the older children when these incidents happened.

... and you know she's a childminder how?

Are you sure she was a childminder?

That was an assumption on my part as the kids didn't appear to be siblings.

Sorry Chipping x-post.

Right. So you think it's reasonable to come onto a parenting site and not complain about a 'woman you saw' but a childminder? Really?

You really don't think they are 'judged' enough? You really don't think they do a hard enough job without people like you? Really?

So she could have been a friend or relative trying to help out by looking after at least one of the kids (the other/s being hers?) for an hour, not a childminder?

And I am a childminder.

yes what they said

OP YABU (I know you didn't ask but you are)

Now off you pop with your judgy pants and assumptions

TIA

step kids
friends kids
kids by different Dads
nieces/nephews
combination of the above

Just a handful of options for you.

I really don't think any of them were hers. I can't imagine any mum being so blasé about her young child wandering out of a playground unnoticed or not registering her daughters screams of terror instantaneously! There was no telling off for running out of the playground, or cuddles for the girl after the incident, both of which made me think she can't have been their mum.

How can you be so sure she was a childminder?

She could be helping out a friend.

I didn't watch a 5 year old all the time at the park.

And why didn't the other mother, who was walking in, turn the little boy and tell him no you have to stay in here? That's what I would have done - no way would I have walked my kids into the toddler park and let a toddler run out as I was doing it.

yeah yeah

Nice try but practice your lines of must try harder.

I very much doubt this was a childminder- the ones i know do a great job.

Your posts shown great ignorance and judgements.

Ps who was watching YOUR child whilst you were observing all this in detail.

I have 3 children and I am blase with them in the park. My 6 and 4 year old also have a touch of the dramatic when on a fast ride. Did other people in the park watch the little girl scream with terror and go "oh where's her mum/dad/childminder etc"? judging or did they decide to get up and stop the ride, give her a hand.

I'm much more careful with other peoples children than my own [shrug]

Ooops I actually think this was me.... My almost two year old ran out of the park on Friday when I was looking at the view and my four year olds head almost fell off as every time she lifted her head to yell help, it whipped her around faster. And the other kids belonged to a friend...

Wow, judge much OP?!

I'm quite blazé tbh with my own children, they are sometimes a bit dramatic. But not when I have other peoples then I'm on red alert iykwim. I'm not a childminder. I can imagine childminders are very alert to their mindees.

I have been minding my own business, which is why i didn't say anything. But after coming home, kept thinking- what if that was my DS who had run out or had actually fallen out of the ride and then started wondering if I should have don't anything different.

I agree the other mum should not have let him out. She did look around for a parent and only let him out when the other parents in sight indicated they didn't know who was watching him either.

And as for the girl, she was going round at very high speed, and was definitely at risk of falling out and getting injured.

Regardless of her position though, shouldn't she have been paying more attention to them?

tell us about the children's appearance - they didn't ''appear to be siblings''

my own children are blonde/blue/pale, dark haired/brown eyed/freckly, one has the look of DH's DM, one looks like an aunt of mine

So visuals don't really count for much; I presume you took DNA swabs from cheeks to verify?

leroymerlin, for sure?

How cool would it be if it was you!

Absolutely. To be honest the whirly cup ride fiasco is still making me laugh - when the act of calling for help, puts you in more danger, you know the world is not the place you thought...

I agree, the parent should have stopped the the little boy, and I would have slowed the girl down on the swing. But oh!, Am I old fashion, but I would watch a ten year old in the park, you've taken the children for fun, why not have fun too. Children who are dramatic, you still would know the difference between acting and real fear. I was realy suprised to read most ot these threads. whether a friend,parent, cm in a public place, children should be more important than the sun or views,