Bad Moods and Being British

25th August 2009 14 Comments

Today we took a trip to a certain local playground. I had visions of a happy time for my toddler and his friend, playing with other children, enjoying the slide and the swings in the sunshine. So, it’s the school holidays, but, this is a toddler-focussed playground. We should be safe there.
Think again, the toddler and his friend are lucky to escape without injury. We were confronted with hoards of parents sitting at benches chatting to eat other whilst their teenagers and ‘older infants’ literally terrorised the toddlers. At one point, I looked at my boy smiling innocently enough, then I looked up above him. To my absolute horror there was a child sliding across the roof of the baby slide which is probably at least 8 ft up. I looked around; all I could see was a woman looking at this in a really non-chalant manner. What does one do? As much as toddler boy would like to see the air ambulance, I don’t think he would like to experience a ride in it in agony after he is flattened. I could feel my bad mood building. I wasn’t the only one, one mum I spoke to was also getting most annoyed.
We tried the swings, I decided that the toddler slide and climbing frames were far too dangerous with the big kids abusing them. This was traumatic as well, the toddler was happy enough, however, one family thought that it was an acceptable game to let their young teenager ride his scooter behind toddler boy in the few seconds when he was closer to me, than them. I pondered who might come off worse and hoped it was the teenager. Then, a family with yet another young teenager appeared next to us. Apparently, it was acceptable to let the teenager stand on a swing and lean about on it whilst their little one had a go on another swing. Not good, and bad manners when there is a queue of toddlers patiently waiting.
Being British, I restrained myself from saying anything. I just silently fumed. We left early. Funnily enough, as we strolled around the park I saw lots of slightly disappointed toddlers and a lot of parents with strained looks. Summer in the city can be difficult.

Claire Walsh

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14 Comments

  • Pippa Haines 25th August 2009 at 11:39 am

    We went to the library story time this morning and even had it there (on a smaller scale) sll the Mum&#39;s bringing their 0-4 to listen to a story but the siblings come too!!!! <br>I&#39;ve been todl when I take me two to preschool classes like Jo Jingles you go to the class for the older child, shame the message hasn&#39;t got round to the parks and librarys

  • Muddling Along Mummy 25th August 2009 at 11:54 am

    You did better than me – I have a rather un-British tendency to take people to task over things like this, especially when Toddlergirl is involved<br><br>Shame that the bigger children were ruining it for the small people – hopefully they&#39;ll all be imprisoned in school soon and your boy can reclaim his playground

  • Bullajabbar 25th August 2009 at 1:07 pm

    Boy, being American I would have handled the situation differently, which my husband (who is British) is always so embarrassed to wittiness.

  • Cafe Bebe 25th August 2009 at 3:03 pm

    I have to agree with Bullajabbar…as an American I would have kicked those teenage asses. I&#39;ve become very &quot;Mama Bear&quot; since having Little Miss. I hate it at our park when older kids are in the toddler area &quot;LURKING&quot;. I think they use the climbing frames for their gang-bangs! It&#39;s shocking. Someone defaced one of the other swing-things at our park by emblazoning

  • Pippa 25th August 2009 at 3:03 pm

    We have this problem at our local parks too, however I like Muddling Along Mummy let it be known that it isn&#39;t acceptable. Maybe we should come with you next time ;o)

  • The wife of bold 25th August 2009 at 3:14 pm

    Arrgh i hate it when the big kids decided to take over the playground, especially when their parents are oblivious to it – only one more week to go though and they&#39;ll all be back to school 🙂

  • Jennysnail 25th August 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Try and chill out a bit you sound like you let things wind you up and make you in a bad mood quite easily. I used to be like this when I had toddlers due to lack of sleep, toddler bahavior etc. If i could go back and change anything it would be to try to take the attitude &#39;this too will pass&#39; or &#39;it&#39;s only a problem if you make it a problem&#39; I would have been much happier had

  • BNM 25th August 2009 at 6:29 pm

    They tend to hog everything round here. There are only 4 non toddler swings and the other day my 5yo wanted to swing and couldn&#39;t as the teens were there drinking!! I tend to make myself heard very loudly and glare a lot.<br><br>But to make you laugh at their stupidness we were at the park one day and a lad decided to go down the slide on his bike!! He must&#39;ve been about eighteen so you&#

  • Perfectly Happy Mum 26th August 2009 at 2:42 pm

    I am with you on that one. I hate toddler playground during holidays. I hate these parents who don&#39;t try to restrain their kids from injuring or squashing little people and I hate the stress that comes with it. <br>Just recently we were in one of these play centers that has a bouncy castle. Out of holidays it is brilliant because it is perfect for E&#39;s age. The last time we went there was

  • Who's the Mummy 26th August 2009 at 4:09 pm

    I&#39;m British and I have no problem with speaking to older kids. I tend to start with things like: <br><br>&quot;Hey, this is actually for little kids and I know you&#39;re big enough to do that, but I don&#39;t want any little ones to try and copy you.&quot; <br><br>Then I move on to: <br><br>&quot;Seriously, this is for little kids. You need to not do that.&quot; <br><br>After that I start

  • Juicytots 26th August 2009 at 7:32 pm

    I used to think like this when I only had one little one. Now I have a 9, 6 and 3 year old it is hard to find things to do where all of them are happy at the same time. The park is one of the main activities for us in the holidays. <br>I try to keep my eye on all the kids, but as Jennysnail says, &quot;you hope that you have taught them enough that they are considerate of other people, but

  • Frog in the Field 27th August 2009 at 9:10 am

    I hate popular parks, I always itch to slap other people, mostly the parents!<br>I have to admit I scared myself at a waterpark in the summer. Some bigger boys were messing around and my youngest got kicked straight in the throat by one of them. She couldn&#39;t breathe, was terrified, her sisters were terrified, her Dad was livid, they just pretended it didn&#39;t happen, so I, in my meek mild

  • Vic 28th August 2009 at 10:24 am

    I hate it when the park&#39;s like that and the boy (who&#39;s 5) doesn&#39;t have a problem with playing around with older kids. Still, there&#39;s a difference between 8 year olds playing recklessly and teenagers being in the park full stop.

  • Metropolitan Mum 28th August 2009 at 2:20 pm

    Great post. How do you control your anger? I just seem not to be able to do that. The other day I was shouting &#39;stop it&#39; at a teenage boy who was hitting a boy half his size. The chain-smoking parents looked up and stared at me in disbelieve, especially as the offender offered to hit me in return, if he let go of the little fellow, and I proclaimed I wasn&#39;t a tad bit afraid of him (

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