Playground etiquette

[bubble99]

I took the boys to a playground after school today. It's not big and, as most people in our area have tiny gardens, always busy.

There were two mothers there with their babies. Both seemed totally neurotic. (judgemental? moi?) I suspect they had flash cards and baby ipods (sp) playing Mozart or whatever.

They were putting their babies onto the slide and guiding them down making cooey noises. All well and good, except they were totally oblivious to the queue of five year olds desperately waiting at the top for a go.

There were steps ups and two slides coming down IYSWIM. The babies went down about three times until DS2 decided he'd had enough of waiting. When mummy 2 had scooped her embryo up to place at the top of the slide again, he saw his chance and ran up it to get to the top.

She turned to him and told him off, telling him that he should be more careful because there were babies on the slide. At this point I went over to see what was going on, but they turned and left.

Bloomin' first-time parents eh?!

PMSL Colditz

Grrrrr! on your behalf bubble99. I think first time parents have to learn the art of playground etiquette.

The other day I was in the playground with my four kids, trying to keep vigilant, but relaxed and there was a couple with their one year old. Mum pushed swing from the back while Dad stood in front to make faces. Total parental sensory overload for the little one. (Judgemental, moi aussie?)
The pushchair they'd brought was bucking under the weight of toys and gadgets. There were buckets and spades next to it as well.
So my 3 year old helped himself to a bucket for the sandpit at which point the dad sprinted around the playground pointing at my three year old in an urgent gesture to ascertain who his parents were. I waved and he came over and said, 'Those are my child's things he's got there.'
I should have told him to ask nicely and my son would give them back, but I'm afraid I went and did it myself.

Many parents, myself included, leave sand toys in the pit for all to share and then simply round them up at go home time.

I once saw a man in the swing park helping his son across the rope ladder. His son was terrified. No wonder. His dad was actually holding one foot in each hand and moving them for the boy.
I should scorn because if comes from a loving place but OMG!

Sand toys, little trikes with handles for pushing and balls = fair game for anyone

how very very tedious

I agree about sand toys being fair game but only if they are 'in use' ie lying around or the sandpit. I don't think it's on to offload toys from a pushchair, sorry Spidermama.

Have to say Im a crap/relaxed first timer and almost always forget to bring bucket and spade with me. Dd always manages to find one tho . Always assumed that other parents didnt mind as long as their kids werent playing with them.

ah but they were next to it, she said pendantly, so that is fair game

That's ok puddle, I agree. But it was next to, not on the pushchair.

xxxxx

What about children that don't wait for their turn?

I was at Battersea Park farm a few weeks ago and they had a real tractor which kids could climb on. Ds1, my nephew and I got there just as another family were approching it. So, my boys got on and played. However, the two older boys from the other family got on the tractor as well, sat on it for a while staring at Ds and nephew, then started playing with the knobs and were insisting on telling DS how to do things. They were not doing it in a helpful way they were being quite aggresive and pushy. Whilst all this was going on and I was making polite but firm 'No thanks, they know how to do it themselves' noises, the other parents were just standing there chatting, seemingly oblivious to the fact that my boys were not happy that their turn had been gate-crashed by these other children.

Maybe I am just a grumpy mum, but I always tell DS to wait his turn unless the other children or parents say it's ok for him to share the toy.

Also, detecive inspector, the whole arrangement was right next to, and blending in with, the sandpit environment. (Monty Python style jobsworth voice).... I therefore concluded that said equipment was indeed, fair game.

Ah, spidermama that makes all the difference! No wonder 1st time parents get things wrong!

Agree Poshpaws. One of the great things about this country is the queueing ethos. It's fair. I'm very strict about turns.

Hey don't beat up on first time parents - I'm only having one and so I'm always going to be a first time parent.

Maybe it's different in NZ parks. I don't think anyone gets this stressed about a slide. The parks seem bigger here - so maybe there is just enough equipment to go around.

Sorry bobbybob. Not really beating up on first time parents. Just those particular first time parents.