Safety in Wacky Warehouse style places

[chaoskay]

Apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place, I don't post very often and am not that familiar with the forums.

What do people think of this?

Just been to Giddy Kippers, which is an indoor kids play place, wacky warehouse style thing.

We were about to leave when my friend realised she couldn't find her 2 year old. He was found wandering alone in the car park. He'd only been missing for about 5 minutes. Apparently he'd followed another parent out.

When my sister approached the manager, understandably upset, he told her her child was her responsibility (which of course they always are to some degree), and then asked her to leave when she said that she couldn't believe he was accusing her of being an irresponsible parent.

Surely he should have at least taken her into an office to discuss it privately at least?

People sign in on arrival, and when they leave they simply hand over a bag which they were given on arrival to put the kids shoes in, this bag is then marked off against a number - so no actual checks on who is leaving at all. No signing out.

Basically, someone could very easily come into a place like that with one kid, and leave with two. No-one would blink an eye.

Where would the responsibility lie there? I'm going to email the manager. I know kids are always a parents responsibility, but in a place like that, it's not like you follow your kid round every single minute is it. It's meant to be a safe environment?

I'm very upset about the way my friend was treated. She was nearly hysterical. Her son has sightly delayed development, and has speech problems so wouldn't even have been able to say what his name was, his address or even his mum's name. God knows what could have happened to him.

2 years old? She should have been watching him at all times, no matter where you are.

Sorry, I'm with RoseBlossoms. At 2, I watched both my kids like a hawk in those places. They are not very competent physically usually and could fall off things, or they could get into a little toddler "fight". I do get really cross when kids that young fall over or something and cry and cry for their mums and no-one comes.

Only ones I've had the misfortune to go to have been supervised to the extent that any child caught smoking in the tunnels might get told off, and that's it. The supervisors are there to check nobody's throwing Fruit Shoots down the slides, and to help out any dcs who get stuck perhaps. A bit like lifeguards at the pool - they're there to enforce the rules and fish out people who get out of their depth and are not childminders.

You sign in to make sure max numbers aren't exceeded primarily - but it remains your responisbility to supervise. I imagine most places have a similar set up and suspect that your friend was completely in the wrong, unless it was specified otherwise (which I doubt).

Whilst most play centres do ahve some system of security, such as exits that are operated at adult height it is the parents responsibility to watch their children. The staff can not be responsible for who leaves with who and monitoring the exit 100% of the time.

It sounds like your friend was being aggresive towards the manager in which case the correct procedure would be to ask her to leave.

They should be more vigilant on the door, but IMO she shouldn't have taken her eyes off her 2yo. The kids are always the parents responsibility.

(bit hmm] at the parent who didn't notice a toddler wandering out with them though!)

"it's not like you follow your kid round every single minute is it"

Err, yes it is actually. Perhpas not hovering over them but you need to know where they are and what they're doing. What if they get hurt? What if they hurt someone else?

eh?! your child is your reposibility at all times. the place probably has a sign to say this.

She should've kept a better eye on him then

the one we go to is brilliant,

the staff are the only one that can let you in or out,

you hand your childs shoes to them and get given numbered tags,

you are also given tags with unique numbers on to put on your child (they are very hard to get off, i struggle to when weve left),

there is a seperate section for under 3's that has a gate and sofas in.

but i will still watch my 2 year old like a hawk, even the though security is good in this place.

Fair enough, but surely they should have to have a signing out procedure? And surely they shouldn't have dealt with my friend so badly?

I just need to point out my friend is a very responsible mum with 2 very active kids. She watches her son like a hawk and it was literally only a couple of minutes he was out of her sight. Kids are scary, one lapse of attention and god knows what could happen.

Silly question.

The responsibility lies with the parent, obviously!

If you are the parent of a two year old then you have to keep an eye on them when they are out and about.
I am stunned that your friend had the nerve to try and blame it on the management tbh

If someone wanted to snatch a child from a place like that then nothing would stop them - not even signing out in a book! which is why you need to look after your own children!

I need to backtrack a little. When I said it's not as if you watch your kids all the time, I meant in reference to older kids. My friend has a 5 year old she does not follow round constantly all the time in those places. On the other hand, she does follow her 2 year round all the time usually, this horrible situation was a one off. God knows we've all had lapses of attention. She was busy putting the older kids coat on and getting stuff together.

My friend was upset and was getting loud because the managers attitude was appalling. I used to work in customer services, and know how people should be dealt with, especially very upset people. He should not have asked her to leave like some drunken 50 year old bloke, he should have taken her somewhere quiet and spoken to her like any reasonable person would have done.

Anyway, I just wondered how other wacky warehouse style places worked security-wise and if anyone had any advice. Thanks for your opinions.

I go to a couple of places, and they both have gates that the staff have to release for you. Tbh it is still possible that a child could slip out along with another parent.

I think you do need to watch very carefully a child under about 3, who may wander off. A child over that, who knows not to leave without you, then you can let them run off and play. If I let older children go and play without me though I do always position myself so I'm between them and the door.

OP, did your friend's little boy have his shoes on already? The play places I've been to have staff on the exit doors to release the catch when groups go out. I would hope that such staff would be vigilant enough to notice a shoeless child.

I know when DS2 was 2, when it came to any situation where people were putting coats on ready to leave somewhere (anywhere - people's houses, soft play, cafe) then we would be especially careful to keep him right by us, otherwise he would have a tendancy to take himself out of wherever we were before the rest of us were ready to leave. DS1 would never have done that, but DS2 was more confident and if he saw that everyone was getting bags together etc he knew it was time to find the exit door! So we always made sure he was kept right with us.

I do feel for your friend - she must have got an awful fright, and maybe the manager could have been a bit more sympathetic, but it does go to show how some kids need watching more than others.

No, they don't have to have a signing out procedure. Normally signing in is more ro monitor visitor numbers and an excuse to get your details for marketing.

I'm not saying your friend was at all negligent. I lost my own 2 year old when he ran out of a shop, past the salaes assistant eho didn't think to stop an unacompanied 2 year old going out onto a busy car park (he said to me, oh yes I just saw him go) but ultimately your friend should not have blamed the staff at all and if she was being aggresive/accusatory they were quite within their rights to ask her to leave.

Now, I've never understood this type of place. We went to one dhen DS1 was 2 and they insited he wear a bib (football playing type) DS was very cross about this, but they insisted he must, so he couldn;'t leave with out them noticing. My argument was theat there was no way I would take my eyes of himn, so it really wasn't neccessary.

I would never, ever take my eyes of a 2 ypo in one of those places, no matter what their policy.

My child...my responsibility.

I think bibs/ tags/ bags give a false sence oof security. You need to watch toddlers at all times in places like this.

And yes, I have had DS1 woander out of a shope when I wasn't wathcing him like a hawk.....again my responsiblility.

why are you passing buck blaming store?email to complain?

you seem unclear on some basic concepts
"it's not like you follow your kid round every single minute is it" - Doh! yes you do keep em strapped to your side

she couldn't believe he was accusing her of being an irresponsible parent. - she was her child has been missing 5+min i call that irresponsible

Is this the GK in Nelson ?
If so the manager is Very abrupt , i had my ds party there and was appalled at the way he spoke to a child over an incident.
I also had another incident where we ordered lunch , we were given 2 hours play time , they messed up our food order so lunch took almost an hour of the kids 'play' time and he refused to allow for this.
Have never been since.

As you said turning away for a second happens , but this place does have a locked door exit to stop children leaving and a signing out book , not sure what more they can do.

Apologies if wrong place.

"I would never, ever take my eyes of a 2 yo in one of those places" - you've not met my 2.8 year old ds2 then! No way would he be content to stay in the toddler area messing about with a few foam shapes - as climbing supremo he's off to the top, where I'm NOT ALLOWED to follow - and it's impossible to see into every nook and cranny from the ground level.

In my defence I do send his 8 year old brother in with him, we do try to avoid the busier times if possible, I would always be where I could see the exits so he wouldn't be leaving alone, and as far as possible I would keep track of (approximately) where in the maze he is.

But watching him/accompanying him every single second? No - he doesn't want or need it and the adventure of doing it without mum right by his side also means he's learning a little independence in a controlled environment.

Again is this the same place in Nelson?

If so we go there quite regular as its not that far from where we live and you cant get out of the building unless one of the staff on the door lets you out, they have a button under the desk to let people come and go and therefore the child must have walked out at the same time as another group. Its a big place and you do see the younger ones going from the toddler area to the bigger play area/football and the majority of the time you can see where your child is (unless playing in ball pool)

i once found a small child playing in the puddles (in his socks!) in the car park outside a place in darlington. took him in with us (he wasn't upset, but i guessed that was where he had come from) and asked if they had lost the child. father of said child didn't even say thank you.....

Chatting with people and watching your kids is an art in itself. it's when distracted that accidents happen!!

Totally parent's responsibility, there are signs up everywhere at the places I go to. Have misplaced him occasionally, 100% my fault.

I'm sure there would be disclaimers. No way would I let a 2 yr old out of my sight, delayed or not. There will be a maximum number for h and s reasons, but no individual responsibility beyond the equipment being safe and age appropriate. After all it is a requirement that an adult attends with any children. I used to dress dc in bright t shirts at places like that just so I could track them. Sorry she's learnt a harsh lesson but the issue is not yours to complain about.