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@Truth Bombs: that's less a problem of kids climbing up the slide and more that they are not being aware of other kids around them, which is an issue that I would guess is a problem on other areas of the playground as well (playing tag around the swings, pushing past little kids on the stairs, climbing up the ladders while other kids are on there--all things I"ve seen).
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When he was little (2.5 and younger) no, he could not climb up the slide because he didn't understand needing to move out of the way when someone was trying to come down. Now at 4, I let him pretty much do whatever, as long as it is safe. He knows to move out of the way if someone is trying to go down and he knows how to take turns. Granted, I sometimes have to remind him but he is pretty good about it.
@Truth Bombs: I've totally said stuff to older kids about being more careful when little ones are around.
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@Truth Bombs: The OP was saying she observed another parent telling her kid no going up the slide, even though no one was there. I said, I would not judge that other parent because maybe they have a kid that needs a consistent rule about not going up the slide.
My response is in the context of this particular thread and the OPs question, not a blanket "is it ever appropriate to judge another person's parenting" thread.
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@hilsy85: oh I agree! I was just responding to anagram's specific statement that she would never judge another mom's decision. It's probably and unpopular opinion around here but I just don't agree with that sentiment.
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Yes- and I even help him climb up the slide. Agree with pps, the issue is more about being aware of other kids and sharing space. If another parent wants to judge slide climbing, so be it. Judging seems like a waste of time and negative energy for no good reason.
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@Anagram: Gotcha. Fair enough! I'm a rule follower to my core so we always don't climb the slide, but I don't care when other people do it as long as it doesn't affect the ability of others to enjoy the playground.
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@Truth Bombs: ah gotcha...I guess if I saw a kid being unsafe and the mom was right there doing nothing I would judge--I have in fact, when a young toddler kept running into the swing area and her mom was sitting on the bench chatting away. With older kids, Iguess there is the expectation that they will behavior better--I know I definitely don't monitor my older LO that closely at the park now!
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@hilsy85: me too. Busy urban playgrounds, haha. But I also don't mind at all telling other kiddos to be careful, or that now it's my LOs turn to come down the side. It's the teacher in me...usually the "older" kids are only like 5-6 years old.
Although sometimes when it's a really stubborn kiddo (and those tend to be the younger ones without a parent paying attention), I will loudly say, to my LO "Do you want to ask him if you can have a turn now?" so their parent nearby will hear.
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I didn't when DS was younger (around 14 months). I wanted to teach him that slides were for going down before he got into the habit of climbing them. Later on we started letting him only when other kids weren't there. He's really wary of other kids now, so he generally is really good at staying out of the way and taking turns even though he just turned two.
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No, we follow the rule that slides are for going down.
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As long as there aren't other kids waiting to go down, I let my LOs climb the slide.
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I do. I do tell her it would be better to use the stairs and encourage her to get up another way, but some days she just really wants to climb the slide. That just isn't a battle I want to fight. I am always right there with her and if another child wants to slide down, I remove her from the slide.
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Yes, going down has the priority though. I haven't seen it be a problem, and we frequent a lot of pkaygrounds. It's allowed at her preschool too. The only time I dont let them is on the bigger playgrounds where there's tube slides or really long ones where it's hard to keep an eye on who is coming down v going up.
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Yes, as long as the playground is relatively empty and no one is waiting to go down (or has been using it in any other way).
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I honestly never even thought about it, but then again, I think my son has tried once and decided that wasn't as fun as going down.
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Nope. He was taught not to do that and it has not been a battle for us.
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Nope. Our rule is up the stairs, down the slide. It's dangerous and even when they get older there are younger kids that could be hurt. It's a pretty basic rule and kids have to learn sometime, right?
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I distinctly remember climbing up the slide (as well as all my friends) when I was little. We knew that the people coming down had the right of way, and it was our fault if we got run in to.
I tell my girls they are supposed to go down the slide, but I'm not going to stop them from climbing it up it when no one is around.
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Yes, if no other kids are trying to go down it. I'm all for rules, but I'm also for letting kids be kids. I'm trying to teach her basic respect. She gets that if someone is coming down, you can't go up.
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@JK: I agree. My kids are too young but I'm thinking of telling my twins to look up the slide and if they want to go down the slide to look ahead to see if anyone is on the slide.
@BabyBoecksMom: I agree, as well.
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I def discourage climbing up the slide and make her climb the stairs. Busy urban playground!
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Interesting - seems to be pretty evenly split.
@looch: @ChitownRo: @Anagram: To be clear - I am not and was not judging - I was curious as to if that was the normal behavior and if I had missed some social norm of playgrounds and needed to stop letting my child climb the slide.
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No, I'm afraid he'll get hurt. Apparently I'm the overprotective mom
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@mrs.shinerbock: sorry- didn't mean you were judging.
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My son is really too little to climb the slide, but sometimes I will let him play at the bottom if it's completely empty - but I talk about how we need to watch out for others/move if they want to slide.
I did have one time that 2 kids (probably 2-3yo) were climbing up a spiral slide when my son wanted to slide down and it was really frustrating because you couldn't tell if the slide was clear from the top. And if I asked the other kids to move so he could slide they'd hop off but get right back on before my son could go down (he takes time to scoot up to the slide). So after that experience I'm a little more against climbing slides - especially spiral ones.
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Surprised no one has posted this. . .
http://www.momnewsdaily.com/children-who-go-up-the-slide-76-more-likely-to-murder/
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Depends on the slide, but for the most part I don't mind- she knows not to do it if kids are coming down, but I would prefer her not to do it because I don't want her to get hurt
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@MUI831: that made me laugh, thanks!
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@Truth Bombs: Gah this drives me nuts too!
We don't let her climb the slide for safety reasons.
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Nope because I want him to know it's a one way thing. You go up the steps and slide down when it's your turn. I hate how when we go to the public slides and the older kids climb up while the younger kids are trying to slide down. Fingers are stepped on and some kids are even bumped/pushed off while waiting their turn. Not cool, people. Not. Cool.
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Nope. It actually drives me nuts when kids do it. Plus it's a rule at his school and he doesn't need to get the impression it's ever ok there. I don't think me not allowing him to climb up the slide is going to hinder him in any way, and it's far less annoying than having to keep reminding him "we only climb up when it's empty" over and over.
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@mrs.shinerbock: huh? How did you even get to that point from what I wrote?
I allow my son to climb up the slide. He knows that he must wait his turn but the method by which he uses the slide is up to him. And that might not be okay with other parents, they can say as much, but their decisions apply to their children, not mine and vice versa...different rules for different families.
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no, because i hate when kids are climbing up while others are waiting to use it. also, even if we are alone i tell him not to because i once fell climbing up the slide at school and got the wind knocked out of me (almost 30 years ago and i remember how awful it was very clearly)
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@MUI831: HAHA! Well, I'm screwed then....
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I let them climb up the slide as long as no one else is coming down or waiting. They fall and get hurt? They learn. My boys learn through doing so where I can I let them learn naturally.
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@mrs.shinerbock: I understand! Sometimes tone on internet is hard to read. But yeah, different rules for different families. Just pay attention to your kid and make sure they aren't being mean to other kiddos. I don't mean you, I mean...the general, internet-audience you.
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@meganmp: Totally agree.
DD isn't old enough to worry about this yet. But when she is able, I will have no problem with her climbing the slide as long as there are not other kids trying to slide down. I want her to play and explore and experience things in her own way so long as she is not impeding others.
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Yes, all the kids here do it and the slides aren't usually that busy so it's not a problem. They usually sort it out if someone is going up and down at the same time. I only step in if DS is hogging the slide and someone is waiting at the top, or if it's a spiral slide and he can't see kids coming down.
We sometimes go to a park with a very busy playground where someone is always sliding down, and I hardly ever see kids going up. They figure it out that it's not a good idea!
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i think I would be ok with climbing up if there is no one waiting. My girls haven't shown any interest in doing it yet!
head first sliding is really popular with the elementary aged kids at the park. That looks more dangerous to me!
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Yes, as long as there aren't other kids around. My older kids don't but my toddler always wants to climb absolutely everything at the park.
I didn't let my first climb slides as a toddler but I've become more lax about mostly everything with my second and third.
Oh, and this isn't a reason why I let my kids climb up slides but a preschool parent once told me she lets her kids climb up slides because it's beneficial for their creative/sensory play. Just throwing another perspective out there.
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