https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:03:54 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748702 Sat, 17 Jun 2017 13:55:39 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2748702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: yea! I'm totally aware in the bigger playground my kids are the annoying ones and will supervise to make sure they're not in the big kids' way! Haha. Which is why I like the toddler playground so I don't have to watch them closely lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748639 Sat, 17 Jun 2017 05:44:38 +0000 looch 2748639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a 6 year old, so I kind of come at it from the other way, meaning, at one point your kid is going to be the annoying one. I've learned that I can not control everyone else and their parenting, only my reaction to the situation. I've mentioned this before, I do a lot of my parenting in public for other parents, not so much myself or my son, because you do get parents that let their kids do their own thing and don't supervise.</p> <p>So, if it's getting rowdy and bigger/older kids are getting too wild, I do intervene and ask them to be a little gentler. But if they don't, I tend to remove my kid from the situation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748616 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:49:57 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2748616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@arosebyany: lol! This thread does make me feel better bc I honestly did feel bad being the only adult talking to those older kids! I was really nice to them but I'm sure they felt like I was "police-ing" them. My conscience is put to rest by you all haha.</p> <p>@petitenoisette: yea now that I think about it the toys probably caused them to stay as long as they did in the sandbox! I think for the summer I will only bring a few sand toys for my kiddos and maybe a couple of their toddler friends and keep watch over them more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748566 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 20:26:45 +0000 arosebyany 2748566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: yup! </p> <p> I wouldn't even feel bad, the sign clearly indicates that it's for younger children. i also am not about sharing my child's toys with other kids, unless their of the same age. sorry I paid for that for him to play with. Not for some child twice his age to tear up.</p> <p>I just want to add, these post always get me. I feel like sometimes we come on here to apologize for totally justified behavior. Who cares if I'm "that" mom, I don't, I'm protecting my child, which is not only my right but an instinct. I also have a superior resting bitch face, so those kids probably would have taken off after I told them once :silly: . Bye Felicia! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748553 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 19:38:42 +0000 Mae 2748553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>wtf-ever man, my husband and I are both "that" parent. My husband even more than me actually lol. He gets PISSED when the big kids are being rough around littles and has no issue using his dad voice on them. </p> <p>Look. IMO-- parents should watch their kids and make sure they're being appropriate for their surroundings. If their own parents aren't going to parent them (which happens A LOT), and they're being a hazard to my kid, we have no issue telling them to knock it off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748477 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 16:06:34 +0000 nana87 2748477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I totally do this and I'm not embarrassed about it. If my kid is too little to speak up for herself and there are bigger kids around who aren't being careful with the littles around (either maliciously or because they don't think about it), and there are no grown ups in sight watching the big kids-- yeah I m going to say something! Most recently, our (public park) playground is used for a nearby school's recess sometimes and so there were a bunch of like 9-10 year olds with few teachers. A group of about 5 girls camped out on the slide and were just sitting at the bottom, climbing up, etc, and my 3 yo was trying to wait her turn to go down from the top and they were just ignoring her. I stayed back for a bit (I was also holding my 4 month old) but I could see her getting sad and frustrated that they weren't taking turns or listening to her, and another toddler was up on the platform too. so I went up and said "my daughter has been waiting a very long time for her turn, please be aware of the little kids" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748474 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:58:25 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2748474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: that is a huge pet peeve of mine! (ETA, the older kids at the mall playgrounds, not you! Lol reread that and thought it could totally be taken the wrong way.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748439 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:00:40 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2748439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748435 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 14:51:28 +0000 ShootingStar 2748435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think you were out of line, but then I'm totally "that" mom at the mall playground. A few weeks ago it was really crazy in there and I was watching DS like a hawk so that no one trampled him, and two probably 10 year olds came in and started jumping on the structure right in front of me. I totally yelled at them told them to get off they were way too big. They ran away, lol. Of course they had no parents around either. And that's after some other parents were too busy looking at their phones when their toddler escaped and I had to rescue her and bring her back in, and they were completely oblivious.</p> <p>Sometimes I really hate other parents. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748394 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:48:18 +0000 kes18 2748394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think you were out of line at all. I will let my child go free if she is alone or if the other children there are all smaller (under 5) but when there are older kids I stand closer and would say something if they were doing something inappropriate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748382 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:28:29 +0000 pachamama 2748382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sigh. I do get what you did. I would have done the same probably. But I wish I would be more hands off. It's a tough line of being a helicopter mom but protecting your young child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748371 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 13:10:01 +0000 FaithFertility 2748371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.kiwi: I think you are being fair<br /> I once had to ask some older kiddos to watch tbeir language because DD thinks they are cool and wants to copy them lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748356 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 12:47:35 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2748356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think you were *that* mom! They are significantly older and I don't even think what you said was all that much! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748321 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:51:40 +0000 edelweiss 2748321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i think what you did was fine. i would have done something similar. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748295 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:15:32 +0000 erinbaderin 2748295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You're nicer than me - I wouldn't let them play with the toys. I would say "Sorry, guys, those are for the little kids to play with when they're playing with my children." I definitely don't think you were *that* mom! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748281 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:00:56 +0000 petitenoisette 2748281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds a little annoying but like you are handling the situation perfectly. I'm guessing the sand toys are probably whats attracting them in since they're not normally there so I don't know if more sand toys will help or hurt your problem though :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748186 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 07:00:39 +0000 Cole 2748186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I definitely don't think you were out of line at all. I think keeping the sand low and being respectful of other people's property/toys are very reasonable expectations. I also don't think there's anything wrong with kind reminders towards other people's kids, scolding and yelling are probably a different story but politely phrased is not a big deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748173 Fri, 16 Jun 2017 01:01:20 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2748173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Coral: the parents are "around".. (I saw one sitting on the bench and one standing nearby but there were def way more kids in the area). haha I don't mind the toy sharing since at this particular playground (at least on weekdays) we throw our toys in the sand and have everyone share! I feel stingy saying this but I do put them out for the younger kids not the older ones😐. There are 4 other play areas but this kiddy one is the only one with sand so I get that the older kids want to play in the sand too. I would never think of asking them to leave unless they were doing something extremely dangerous. Since the big kids are here just in the summer maybe just for the summer time I will bring a few toys and be more watchful so the big kids don't destroy all the toys lol. And maybe if they didn't see all the shovels and toys they maybe wouldn't have come in? Because sand play with the toys is all they were doing!</p> <p>@PinkElephant: I definitely always use a friendly and kind tone and explain it's just because of the little kids but I still feel bad "chaperoning" them haha. Hey but those big holes are so dangerous for little toddlers.. so whatever.. I guess I feel like a type a something up my butt kind of mom when I totally don't see myself like that normally haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748163 Thu, 15 Jun 2017 23:03:16 +0000 PinkElephant 2748163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to encounter a similar situation at a park that was adjacent to a middle school. There was an area that was clearly more for big kids, but during open lunch/recess, the 11-13 year olds would be all over the place, playing in a totally age-appropriate way, but a way that was too rough for the toddlers on the littler-kid part of the park. I felt like it was all about tone. When I used a friendly, neutral tone and said something like "Hey guys, if you're going to play in this area just watch for the little kids, ok?" Without telling them they "couldn't" or "shouldn't", they were generally ok with it and listened. I felt fine asking this of them since during recess, I was careful to keep my littler kids out of the big kid space out of courtesy. In a gated, signed area, I definitely think big kids need to defer to little kids, and probably shouldn't be in there unless they're playing with a younger child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748160 Thu, 15 Jun 2017 22:32:52 +0000 Coral 2748160@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.kiwi: Where are the parents of these kids? I Would have no qualms about telling kids that that space was for children 2-5 and that they needed to go to a different play structure. I would also tell them that these were our toys and that they should ask to use them. These kids know better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748158 Thu, 15 Jun 2017 22:10:22 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2748158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And maybe I'm a little annoyed because I usually let my 1yo and 3yo go completely free (it's gated with no big falls) and when the big kids are there I feel like I have to watch out for so much more haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/that-playground-mom#post-2748157 Thu, 15 Jun 2017 22:06:55 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2748157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Soo I was *that* playground mom today.</p> <p>I'm a SAHM so I frequent our local park 2-3x a week. There are 4 different play structure areas and we usually go to the gated sandbox one. The sign says it's for ages 2-5. I usually bring a bunch of sand toys for the kids to share since moms/nannies of young kids are often there.</p> <p>Well it's summer break and the big kids have been coming into the gated area. Of course they are free to play even though this playground is made for younger kids. With that being said I'm that mom watching them and making sure they're not throwing sand or being rough. I totally get that 9 year olds play differently from 1-3yos but being that the playground is made for 2-5 yos I feel zero guilt enforcing rules appropriate for 2-5 yos.</p> <p>So today I probably said something to the crowd of big kids 3x about keeping the sand low (not throwing it). (they were digging holes in the sand). I felt bad but none of us let our little ones throw sand! It hurts when it gets in your eyes!!</p> <p>Today there were enough toys for my kiddos to have a sand toy or two but during times that the big kids took all the toys I have asked them for a couple toys back for my own kids to play with. I also kind of cringe when they play roughly with the toys. Those 8-10yos are just so much stronger and I cringed when one girl stepped on our bucket upside down. I let that one go though hahah.</p> <p>I felt bad bc I was "watching" them so closely.. part of the reason was they were digging deep holes and I did not want a little kid falling into them!!</p> <p>Anyway do you think it was too much? Should I be more lax next time? Or would you have done the same? </p>