Do you let your kids climb UP slides or are you of the Park Etiquette Brigade?

[OverMyDeadBody]

I let my DS climb up it, if there are no other kids waiting to slide down and the park isn't busy or anything, but I've noticed some parents stopping their children doing this or tutting when other kids do it. What's your opinion?

I prefer doo poo

I used to climb up the slide. It was fun. MIght try it again next time the park is empty (for fear of other mothers tutting if I do it when it is busy!!)

Yes, try it! I prefer playing on the monkeybars myself, but do get funny looks from some parents. Maybe they're jealous of my superior monkeybar technique!

I let mine climb up unless there is someone waiting to slide down

i discourage it, mainly because all those muddy footprints make the slide sticky and far too slow to slide down in a proper 'wheeeee' way!

Mine are allowed to climb as long as noone is coming down the slide.

Would never even have thought of the mud/poo issue.

My DCs came home from kindergarten today absolutely covered in mud so I am probably immune to mud now anyway.

Its funny that we adults have all these rules about How To Play, and how all the play equipment should be used.

When I was a kid we used to slide down a grassy bank on our bums(mum loved the grass/mud stains!), run back up, down again -how we loved that game.

I agree, if others are coming down, its not on, but otherwise I think its fine.

i should start encouraging DS1 to go up i think- he currently has a black eye from whacking his head at the bottom of the slide while coming down. Seriously, if nobody is coming down, who cares?! Let them have fun and run free!!

So who's gonna be first to design one with a slide at BOTH ends! Problem solved .

I don't let DD as often in the park she will have dirty shoes; not nice for having to slide down after if the slide is cacked in mud or dirt.

Hey, I let my boys RUN up the slide to see if they can get all the way to the top without slipping down again. Great exercise!

If other children want to come down, I stop them.

Yesterday I had three boys running a race up the slide when some stroppy nanny told my boys off. WTF, I WAS RIGHT THERE, and the slide was empty, aside from my son, his friend, and my toddler.

Some people, eh?

Its so sad this thread even exists.

Now even in the blinkin park I'm meant to guard his behaviour all the time just in case a child gets mud on their clothes, that they have chosen to wear to the park, that is outside, in the vicinity to mud.

Scuse me whilst I just go off and shoot myself now.

BTW I don't tut at other people#s children doing it - LTHOUGH WOULDN'TBE IMPRESSED IF IT WAS HOLDING UP THE QUEUE OF CHILDREN TRYING TO GET DOWN (sorry for caps there) But I simply don#t like DD to do it - TBH she has never been one to do it anyway.

I with you rookiemater - just read this thread with my mouth slightly open...

my dd prefers going up to down, she waits if an older child is at the top but will push in if a little tiddler is there. everyone is fine about it, i do have a word with her but sometimes im not that near. its not a big deal.

But what alwayas amazes me is how people take their little girls to the park, in immaculate dresses and long coats, and guard them like they are jewellery, "come Jemima, dont get dirty now, step away from the mud, come here, dont touch that swing, it is wet, oh no, just look at the state of the seesaw, you cant possibly go on it today, oh, why did I not bring rubbergloves and antibacterial wipes?"

But what alwayas amazes me is how people take their little girls to the park, in immaculate dresses and long coats, and guard them like they are jewellery, "come Jemima, dont get dirty now, step away from the mud, come here, dont touch that swing, it is wet, oh no, just look at the state of the seesaw, you cant possibly go on it today, oh, why did I not bring rubbergloves and antibacterial wipes?"

Ds fell on his face and got a split lip when a child climbing up the slide at nursery collided with him. I stop him climbing up but don't think I'd tut if I saw another child doing it - I remember doing it myself!!!

Blimey, feck the kids, if there is no one else in the park I climb up it!

I agree QS. One of the joys of going to the park should be getting muddy and dirty! Those poor little girls with their paranoid anal controlling parents.

Mine do what they want in the park.
I figure if they climb up the slide someone will soon kick 'em off.

LOL QS. The single most astounding thing of this type that I heard in a park was a mother telling her approx 8 year old son who was waving a piece of string around to "Please be careful darling, string can be quite dangerous". I would be really grateful if anyone on this thread could list the inherent dangers of waving string around because I am at a loss. I have often thought about this.