Re: Climbing up the slide...

Message edited 2/5/2019 6:46:24 PM.

Climbing up the slide...

For the record, I wasn’t screaming like a lunatic but I was ticked. I didn’t go charging st this parent like a lunatic. I have 2 children and I don’t model that behavior, and yes I cursed, not to be a jerk but because I was fuming, I didn’t do this in front of her children no was it near other people.... and no, this kid didn’t push my child but this mother was near the slide as her kid charge up the slide as my kid was going down, I don’t get how as a parent you wouldn’t address that and teach your kids to have some respect? Maybe that’s just me but if my kid wants to go charging up a slide, if they get their teeth knocked out because some kid went down the slide, my kid would deserve it because they weren’t using the playground appropriately. And for the record, the park I’m referring to is 3 and under for the toddler area. It’s very large with about 5 different areas, a basketball court, multiple areas for swings and a football field

Climbing up the slide...

I tell my ds that he can run up ONLY if nobody is around. Otherwise, up the steps like everyone else.

And yes, I'll be that mom that will tell a kid to quit it while I'm there with my little one.

Sorry, if you can t mom your kid, I will.

While you can't hover over your 5 year old, you can teach them to respect the rules .

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Re: Climbing up the slide...

I have only one DS and he is old, but I went through those stages and I hated the playground for many reasons, but I always took my DS there because I felt he needed that. Now I see it as a part of social/emotional and physical development. I get the OP getting very upset about the situation. I would have felt that way also, if it had happened to my DS. But any type of yelling or cursing is a big no for me, as it is judging if the mom was on the phone for whatever reasons she needed or wanted to.

To the OP, I'm sorry your DS got hurt and I hope he is well. As a mom of a 13 year old, I have been in your shoes; but I have also been in the other mom's shoes. Accidents happen in a second, that's very unfortunate.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Sorry, not apologizing if my child "startled" your child and never touched them, especially if you came at me cursing. There is no hard rule that kids cannot climb up a slide, its ridiculous. My kid climbs up slides and if someone wants to come down, I simply say someone is trying to go down the slide, come down so they can have a turn. Playgrounds are literally for climbing and kids running around. I personally have never seen any of the toddler playgrounds with a 5 foot drop, those are usually on the older kids playgrounds, so first Id re-evaluate the safety of the park I take my kid too. There is parent responsibility as well on your part, if you have a child who just turned two, and they are near a 5 foot drop, you should be watching them from that vantage point until they are on the slide itself. Accidents happen, a million things couldve happened with kids on a playground. Bottom line, IMO, the other mother did nothing wrong, her kid didnt even touch your kid, you yelled and cursed at her and then are pissed she didnt apologize. I understand that you cant be everywhere at once, but shes not psychic either, how was she to know her kid was going to "startle" your child. Its a playground, kids run around and some take good falls sometimes. Hell, my kid fell and broke his leg in two places on a playground when he was just under two - these things happen. I didnt scream at anyone else for it.....Im glad hes OK though.

Message edited 4/2/2019 3:32:34 PM.

Climbing up the slide...

I am so sorry that happened to your child. I would have had the exact same reaction as you. Yes accidents happen but parents need to parent their children not sit there scrolling there phones or chit chatting without regard for what is going on. The LEAST she could have done is apologize for the actions of her child.

Climbing up the slide...

I let them climb up if we are the only ones there but NEVER with other kids there. I hate when parents let their kids run wild even if it is at a playground. Social manners should be taught everywhere and I would be pissed if the mom saw my kid fall and didnt run over and see if he was ok.

Message edited 3/4/2019 9:05:27 AM.

Climbing up the slide...

i think what a lot of people missed in this convo was that this all happened in the TODDLER area of the park. Kids who are 5+ should not be playing in the 2 year old section at the park. Fine, let your kids climb up the slide and whatnot, but let them do it in the other section of the park where they belong.

You are not wrong to be upset by this at all, and that mother probably was embarrassed that she didn't notice anything because she was too busy talking on the phone. Her immediate reaction was probably just to say that you should watch your kids better, but I'm sure she knew she was wrong.

I don't necessarily shadow DD at the park, and I personally let her climb up the slide and fall here and there so she learns. I still follow her around when she's up on the platforms though because sometimes she still gets distracted and gets too close to the ledge. With that said, if there were other kids using the slide, she is not allowed to climb up it. And if there are older kids being rude and running around like lunatics in the kiddie area (which happens all the time at the park by our pool), I always say something directly to the kids like "guys can you please be careful there's little babies playing in this area" and they usually go off somewhere else.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Climbing up the slide...

My kids are 5& 6. I allow them to climb, not run, up the slide. They are both in OT 2 - 4 days a week due to fine and gross motor delays. Their OTs reccomend that I allow them to do it, but with that comes a responsibility. I have taught them not to climb up if someone is at the top trying to come down and not to do it when the parks are packed. Another thing is I follow my kids around the park. I give them space to learn and interact but I need to be able to see and hear them. I'm sorry this happened to you and your child but that mother was wrong.
Bigger kids need to understand that once they see smaller kids and babies, they need to be more cautious with their play. I cant even count how many times I've scolded older kids, even some teens for running around the toddler portion of the park playing tag, etc.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Climbing up the slide...

I find it so interesting to see so many different perspectives. I find most modern playgrounds to be incredibly tame and unchallenging. You guys should check out playgrounds in other developed countries-they have some amazing ones!

I also wish they had more playgrounds like this

Message edited 3/4/2019 4:45:31 PM.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Posted by StaceyWill

Posted by Mrs213

Posted by LSP2005

Posted by mommy2be716

i think what a lot of people missed in this convo was that this all happened in the TODDLER area of the park. Kids who are 5+ should not be playing in the 2 year old section at the park. Fine, let your kids climb up the slide and whatnot, but let them do it in the other section of the park where they belong.

You are not wrong to be upset by this at all, and that mother probably was embarrassed that she didn't notice anything because she was too busy talking on the phone. Her immediate reaction was probably just to say that you should watch your kids better, but I'm sure she knew she was wrong.

I don't necessarily shadow DD at the park, and I personally let her climb up the slide and fall here and there so she learns. I still follow her around when she's up on the platforms though because sometimes she still gets distracted and gets too close to the ledge. With that said, if there were other kids using the slide, she is not allowed to climb up it. And if there are older kids being rude and running around like lunatics in the kiddie area (which happens all the time at the park by our pool), I always say something directly to the kids like "guys can you please be careful there's little babies playing in this area" and they usually go off somewhere else.

if it was a toddler area, thennit would not have a five foot drop off of a slide.

Not necessarily. There is park I go to that has an area for older kids and smaller kids and the toddler area has a 5 foot high landing with an open area that the kids could fall right off. No idea why it was designed this way when it says for kid ages 2 to 5....

Same here. There's this climbing thing in the 2-5 section of my park that has big holes everywhere that little kids can easily slip through.
I'm convinced that whoever is designing these parks have never been around children.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Posted by LSP2005

Posted by StaceyWill

Posted by Mrs213

Posted by LSP2005

Posted by mommy2be716

i think what a lot of people missed in this convo was that this all happened in the TODDLER area of the park. Kids who are 5+ should not be playing in the 2 year old section at the park. Fine, let your kids climb up the slide and whatnot, but let them do it in the other section of the park where they belong.

You are not wrong to be upset by this at all, and that mother probably was embarrassed that she didn't notice anything because she was too busy talking on the phone. Her immediate reaction was probably just to say that you should watch your kids better, but I'm sure she knew she was wrong.

I don't necessarily shadow DD at the park, and I personally let her climb up the slide and fall here and there so she learns. I still follow her around when she's up on the platforms though because sometimes she still gets distracted and gets too close to the ledge. With that said, if there were other kids using the slide, she is not allowed to climb up it. And if there are older kids being rude and running around like lunatics in the kiddie area (which happens all the time at the park by our pool), I always say something directly to the kids like "guys can you please be careful there's little babies playing in this area" and they usually go off somewhere else.

if it was a toddler area, thennit would not have a five foot drop off of a slide.

Not necessarily. There is park I go to that has an area for older kids and smaller kids and the toddler area has a 5 foot high landing with an open area that the kids could fall right off. No idea why it was designed this way when it says for kid ages 2 to 5....

Same here. There's this climbing thing in the 2-5 section of my park that has big holes everywhere that little kids can easily slip through.
I'm convinced that whoever is designing these parks have never been around children.

that is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Re: Climbing up the slide...

Being the mom of a 9, 6 and 2 y.o., I think you got scared and frankly over reacted.

This mom, like many moms, was not hand holding her kids. That's ok. I don't expect anything else from other parents on the playground honestly. There is no rule you can't climb the slide. I'm sorry, but I feel it is my responsibility to hold my 2 y.o.'s hand when she is going down the slide. And (gasp!) I have let her climb up the slide a few times (holding her of course).

Basically, it would have been nice if this mom intervened and asked if your son was ok, but she didn't. Her son didn't even physically make contact with yours. Nor can you make anyone else do what you think is right. Yelling and cursing at her was the wrong move. I would resolve to not visit this playground again where the toddler area has openings with such a big 5 ft drop. I would also never let go of your son's hand on slides again.

Re: Climbing up the slide...

I was a psycho when my DD was that age. She would watch the bigger kids do it and then try herself. It drove me crazy! I fought her on it for years! I couldn’t understand why parents allowed their older kids to do it. I was pissed almost everytime I left the park. Then I started realizing EVERY kid does it. And no matter how much I told her not to, she tried it or did it when she was able. At 6 she does wait and is aware of the little kids coming down, but she will climb up when no one is around.

And then it gets worse! Now, the older kids are climbing up and ON TOP of the enclosed tunnel slides! And it’s a fight all over again with DD. She sees the 7/8 yr olds doing it and wants to try it! I’m not there yet to be able to let her. It’s so high and one slip is a pretty hard fall!

I agree that mom was wrong though for letting her kids run up while your kids were trying to set up to come down!

Re: Climbing up the slide...