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Original poster

Do you let your DC climb up slides in the park?

375 replies

rosie79 · 09/10/2006 17:28

My ds who's 3 has always been really into climbing (like most kids this age!) and for as long as he has been able to has climbed up slides in parks as well as sliding down them. He always waits his turn if it's busy and doesn't climb up if someone is about to slide down. I have always let him do this as I know that he knows his own limits and has yet to have any accidents, he is careful. Our parks are rarely very busy either. However, I have often heard other mums say to their kids as they try to climb up the slide "no dear, go up the normal way" or the "proper way" or similar words to this effect, or worse "you'll get the slide dirty" !! So their shoes doen't make it dirty if they slide down?! .
It doesn't bother me what other parents let and don't let their kids do, that's their choice, but to imply that my child is doing something wrong or abnormal and give me funny looks or say stuff extra loud so I hear them, that's annoying!! surely in playgrounds children should be able to use the equipment however they choose to, exploring and being adventurous? Isn't this what childhood is all about? With a bit of adult supervision it isn't dangerous. Am I on my own in feeling like this?

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tigermoth · 09/10/2006 22:42

I don't think 'politeness' is a quality you should expect from a young child in a playground - general fairness and friendliness yes, but not the finer points of politness or good manners. A playground is not a restaurant.

bossykate · 09/10/2006 22:43

i say we should stop all this sliding down rudeness - after all, why should my fun, bouncy, adventurous child have to wait for a dithering little milksop? do they not know that while they cringe at the top of the slide they are stopping children from climbing up? eh? eh? i am so sick of my child waiting patiently at the bottom for a whole group of rude sliding down children just keep coming without taking turns. it would just all be solved by banning children from sliding down and making everyone climb up.

sorrell, just listen to yourself.

LAtyke · 09/10/2006 22:46

sorry sorrell, eventually even the most timid child will climb the slide - if only to conquer everest - that was ds's excuse anyway

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niceglasses · 09/10/2006 22:46

And I say climb up the slide with yer sausage roll in yer pocket with yer shiny trackie and Diadora trainers on to shine it up and make it slidy. Descend into a pool of stolen grapes, summersault into a shopping trolley, stand up in said trolley and then buy loads of jars of food while stopping off at McDonalds on the way home, and calling in to buy Heat and Shopping of course.

tigermoth · 09/10/2006 22:47

Ah, but what about the ultra indecisive child who, having climbed up the steps hovers in a quandry near the top for ages before deciding to slide down, making everyone wait for ages? should we tut tut them for holding up the queue, too?

LAtyke · 09/10/2006 22:49

niceglasses seems to be having too much fun

lisalisa · 09/10/2006 22:50

Message withdrawn

bossykate · 09/10/2006 22:52

niceglasses, ahem, i don't think you will find climbing up the slide associated with those other things you mention

motherinferior · 09/10/2006 22:57

Niceglasses, I find it much easier just to avoid the park completely and put them in front of adult daytime TV. With fruit shoots, obviously.

sorrell · 09/10/2006 22:58

Ok, so you all find politeness a ridiculous quality. I think it's quite nice, myself. And I think even quite young children are capable of it. And yes, if your child is holding everyone up at the top, of course you encourage them to get a move on. It's called teaching your child to think of other people. I'm actually quite amazed that civilised people feel quite happy to insult those who do this. It's horrible.

Lact8 · 09/10/2006 22:59

But I don't let ds2 do it precisely because he is a fun, bouncy, adventurous child who would bowl over whoever is waiting at the top to slide down.

If I hadn't put certain rules in place for how he behaves in the park and stuck to them whether there were other children there or not, ds2 would easily become one of the kids that everyone tut tuts over.

He is huge for his age and quite stocky too (has been able to wrestle his big brother 7 years his senior on to the floor since he was one). If I let him do exactly what he wanted to, someone would get hurt and more likely than not it would be someone else's child.

I think I've just made ds2 sound horrible, he's not at all, but he definately has a physical advantage over children his age but doesn't have the understanding that he can hurt them so I think it's my responsibility to ensure that his behaviour is monitored and not going up the slide is just part of it.

FloatingHeadOnTheMed · 09/10/2006 23:00

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Eliboo · 09/10/2006 23:02

I don't let dd do it because if a larger child decides to go down the slide at the same time, she will get badly squished. Which has nearly happened several times.
My only issue with it is if a kid at one end is a lot bigger than a kid at the other (either way around) and the smaller one is either in danger or being intimidated. Then I intervene.

nulnulcat · 09/10/2006 23:03

good point tigermoth! the kids dont seem to be bothered about who is going which way up a slide!

as soon as dd could work out what a slide was for she tried to climb up it much to my amusement it was all part of the game i think 2 steps up then slide down on her tummy! got some great video clips! she was only 12 months old and it kept her happy

she is older now and still likes to climb up the slides but she waits if someone wants to come down

she likes to come down slides head first as well and i let her! she is playing and in a park so i let her get on with it so what if she falls over gets muddy gets a few bruises! she has to learn that sometimes that might happen!

lisalisa · 09/10/2006 23:03

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FloatingHeadOnTheMed · 09/10/2006 23:06

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lisalisa · 09/10/2006 23:07

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nulnulcat · 09/10/2006 23:07

should we all get timed for amount of time spent on a swing?

lisalisa · 09/10/2006 23:09

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LAtyke · 09/10/2006 23:16

one of the 'tutters' asked my son not to hang upside down from a swing as it was a bad example to the small children. I'm afraid I had to step in and explain the words 'children' and 'imagination' to the strange person.

Greensleeves · 09/10/2006 23:18

Well, there's the problem then, lisalisa . You're incensed at the idea of someone else not noticing that your child is waiting for the swing, but regard it as "utterly ridiculous" that someone might think your child stomping the wrong way up the slide is dangerous or ill-mannered. Nice public-spirited attitude you have there!

tigermoth · 09/10/2006 23:19

I take my son to a playground so we can both unwind and get some fresh air. It is a place to relax and be happy in the fresh air - a place to change our mood if we are going stir crazy at home. I can't relax and neither can he if I insist every move he makes is a polite one. It wouild negate the main reason for us being in the park. As long as I can see no unhappy or hurt children being left in his wake, and he isn't putting himself or others in danger, that's all I ask.

I guess for some people (sorrell perhaps?) a park visit is an opportunity for teaching your child better manners as well.

FloatingHeadOnTheMed · 09/10/2006 23:22

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lisalisa · 09/10/2006 23:22

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sorrell · 09/10/2006 23:23

I tend to think that helping your children to be thoughtful is something that is part of everyday life. It is not the opposite of having fun.