As a parent of a 9 year old I am sometimes at odds with parents of younger children when I take my son to the playground. I take him to playgrounds because I have a 4 year old, otherwise by now we would be phasing this out. However, my son is still well within the playground age group, and given a bike or skateboard and the right play equipment, enjoys letting off stream.
One of his favourite things is to skateboard or cyle down low ramps. He is too small to go to teenage skateboard parks yet. Half pipes frighten him and he is not good enough to do all the manoeuvres. If there isn't a sign to say 'no bikes or skateboards in the playground' I am happy to let him cycle or skate down small ramps (especially if I notice other childern are doing it too). I expect him to take turns with whoever is there, toddlers or children, or stop if the ramp is very busy. He is usually OK about this, and I am there to keep an eye on things. But I don't see why I should tell him he can't do this at all. This is where conflict happens.
Parents of tiny toddlers (under 2's) using the ramp do not want a big boy careering down it on wheels. If I sense danger or disapproval, I will ask my son to let the toddler have a go, but I will not tell him off for doing what he is doing. A couple of times recently I have sensed disapproving looks and heard comments like 'he's too big to be on here, he shouldn't be riding his bike in the first place' I studiously ignore this.
I think my son has as much a right if not more, than a small toddler to play on general play equipment. He is totally within the age range, and to my mind a tiny toddler isn't. That's why small size swings, slides etc exist. If there is no sign or obvious indication that the playground is for tinies, I think parents of tinies have to accept that older children will be racing around (not necessarily on wheels) and will be loud and boisterous. That's what a playground is for. Normal rules like walking, not running, talking, not shouting, don't apply. Obviously I'm not saying it's OK to push and shove or deliberately hurt another.
Recently my son was pulled up by a parent of a tiny toddler. He was on his bike and as he went past them he said 'excuse me'. I imagine he didn't give them lots of warning, but he had been on the ramp for a while as had other bike riders, so the parent could see what was going on.
When my son was tiny, given this situation, I expected to wait our turn or I'd ask the older children to let my toddler have a go. I wouldn't expect older chlidren to immediately stop what they were doing just because my toddler was on the horizon.
I had popped off to the loo, so didn't see this but heard from others that the parent had got really cross with my ds for being there, saying the ramp was for toddlers. I felt, OK, I wasn't around, but both of us had been there for a while and clocked each other, so if she wanted to say something, couldn't she have waited till I got back?
When I did get back she was looking daggers at me. I shoo-ed my son off and the other cycle riders left too. By this time the parent and toddler had left the ramp but were still nearby. When it was free she didn't come back. So I said to my son, OK go back on, but wait if the toddlers return. The looks the woman gave me!
I don't think I am being unreasonable, and I go to playgrounds lots of times with no problem, but it's really makes me cross that this sort of situation occurs. Any thoughts?