Grrrrrrr other parents at the park

[kidzandme]

Has anyone else had this problem?
I take all the kids to the park in the morning. There are usually other kids, parents and daycare groups there. I get all the kids in a certain area then I find a place to sit and watch them. I end up watching other children as well, because all the other "adults" are busy with their texts, games, or just too darn busy talking to each other about their weekend.
This morning one little boy fell and skinned his knee, his Dad was busy texting. I called to him and without even taking his eyes from his phone just said "oh he's alright just walk it off son." GREAT! AWESOME! Kid is still crying. We just left, to find a more quiet spot. Yesterday when we got to the park, a little girl was playing, while her parent snoozed on the bench. PERFECT! Monday two parents were so busy discussing their new trailers that they did not even notice that their 3 year olds had wandered away. TERRIFIC!
I know it takes a village to raise a child, but seriously watch your own children because I am busy watching MINE!
Ok rant over, can breathe again. Gotta find a new park!

[monkeymama]

Ugh I hear you! I had to chastise a boy today who threw sand in my dcg face and mom was too busy on her phone to notice! unless it directly affects my kids or something very dangerous, I usually don't like to intervene

[mimi]

I only had that experience once. Mom was texting as daughter was flicking sand with her shovel at the other children. I just walked up to Mom with a smile and said "excuse me, is that your daughter? and walked away. She knew from my tone that I wasn't impressed with her.

[momofnerds]

I had a mom try to fight with me, when I told her that her child had pushed my dd.

are you guys finding that more and more parents are playing on their phones. I tried once (my own children are older, heck they cross the street and go to the park by themselves but sometimes I like to go and sit with them) and I felt so guilty. I sit and talk to my kids who play in the area.

[sunnydays]

My issue is with the daycare centre at the nearby school rather than parents They come and swarm the park with a group of 16+ three year olds and we are forced to leave because it isn't safe for all my toddlers when there are so many kids. Last time we went to the splash pad, we had been there for only about 10 minutes and a group of of 24 kids from the daycare centre arrived Our splash pad is tiny...I didn't think it was safe even for the daycare centre kids to have so many, let alone for my little ones. We had to come home and use the sprinkler instead...soooo frustrating! At the same time, I know the parks are public and everyone has a right to use them. Maybe people get annoyed when I show up with my 7 kids (2 are my own) as well...I don't know. I haven't had too many issued with parents, although I do notice more of them playing on their phones for sure. My issue is with the daycare centre and sometimes other home daycare providers who don't watch their kids well enough (there is one lady who lets them all go barefoot...pays no attention when one of her dcb's climbs up the slide or climbs into my stroller etc.).

[kidzandme]

I agree Sunnydays, about the daycare centres. Friday I took my kids to the spray park, within half an hour 2 school buses arrived. There was barely enough room to walk, so we left. I have lots of room for them to play in my yard, but sometimes it's nice to go for a walk and leave behind the mess I call home.

[ladyjbug]

Yes, I have this problem all the time. Just today I had to tell a little boy to stop shooting my kids in the face with his high powered water gun THREE TIMES. Finally saw him head back to his mom. She was sitting with her back to us, facebooking on her phone. Nice. I even got pretty stern with him the last time and she didn't even look up.

[mamaof4]

I watch my kids-- but watch from a distance-- except Henry- he is only 15 mos. and far too young to let wander-- I typically follow behind him from thing to thing but let him explore, the other kids, I keep an eye on, and if they are acting up we leave.

[Momof4]

There's a Montessori school near our favourite park and when they come over they are so well behaved it's great. I find the problem with the parents at my park, they are overprotective, going down the slides with their kids, let the kid slide!.....hovering over them and not letting them learn to play on their own.......afraid they are going to fall at any minute.....encourage them to be independent!!!

However, I don't sit, I stand and walk around, ever vigilant with my children but I'm not hovering, I'm worried about the open spaces at the top of the walkway where my 16 mo old baby girl gets too close and I don't want her to fall.

I stopped meeting with a provider who sat there on her phone nonstop while the rest of us watched her dckids and she's the only bad provider who made me mad. So I know what you're talking about.

[torontokids]

I know what you're talking about. We had 3 plus daycare's show up at the splash pad last week when we went. I loved how there was one group (30 kids with 2 staff) and the one went to the bathroom leaving the other provider with all the kids. Who's over ratio now?