I have older kids. As long as your 3 year old is on age appropriate equipment, I would not hesitate to say something to children who are being a PIA. The ones who block equipment are the worst! I'd never hesitate to tell those little f****ers to move on. |
My kid throws sand at kids who are mean. Seems to work well. |
Wait a sec. Your child is 2 years old? You are saying other 2 year olds are doing this? Or your TWO year old is wanting to play with five or six year old girls? That is age span is more common that they are making comments like that not other 2 year olds. They might not want to play with someone so much younger. |
Which park is this? |
It’s always by parents or Nannies not paying attention. You should say calmly but firmly please leave her alone and then do something really fun that requires a parent like those spinny things etc so they can’t follow your kid. |
+1 I was wondering about this too. Also what is the target age for the playground? My local playground has a 2-5yo section and a 5-12yo section and if there are bigger kids there I don’t let my preschoolers play on the 5-12 section so the big kids don’t have to trip over them. For physical problems (blocking equipment, pushing, etc), I will either remove my child or tell the other kids to stop regardless of age and I think that’s fine and I hope another parent would scold my kids if they’re pushing or not playing fair. For social problems (people telling my kid they don’t like them/don’t want to play with them), I provide examples/guidance to my kids by suggesting that they find other kids to play with or that bigger kids don’t always want to play with littler kids. I don’t correct the other kids. And I think it makes sense to start letting kids sort out their own social situations around 3/4 and that’s when a bit more of a distant approach on the playground makes sense. |
Yes to all of this. |
That is kind of par for the course with toddlers-preschoolers. They are just starting to figure out sharing, that the slide isn’t “theirs”, etc.
Sucks that other parents aren’t monitoring. But I think you are taking it too personally & creating 3 year old mean girls in your head. If your DD is playing with other similarly aged kids, go ahead & correctly them directly - they aren’t going to understand snarky comments made about them within earshot. If that would be effective with the kids, they are not in your DDs age range, & you can help redirect her towards kids/play areas for her age group. |
This is bizarre, I have a toddler and we haven’t had issues like this at any playgrounds. Are you in DC? |
This happens most weekends at Cemyjontri Park in McLean - among kids who are the same age or nearly so. Parents or nannies either do not care or are too busy playing with their phones. sad. |
pP. Sorry. Meant among (older than 5 yo) kids who are nearly the same age as each other. |
Yeah I kind of agree. Three is too young to fend for oneself with jerky kids. |
This. Kids need to know that their parents have their backs. That helps give them the confidence to speak up for themselves when they have the vocabulary and ability. |
That's annoying OP. I'd miss be your kid away from them or leave, which sound like it's what you did.
The problem there is not lack of closure supervision. I have a kindergartner and I don't hover over her at the playground. However, I do pay enough attention that if I see something amiss, I can go give an instruction or call her over for one. I was at the playground last week and chatting with another parent when I noticed something that didn't look right on the playground. I walked over and could see my DD was climbing over another kid she thought was moving too slow. I gave her one warning to stop and she did, and then I told her she needs to give space or we have to leave. Then I went back to my conversation. It's not that hard. But a lot of caregivers will rely on "I think kids should work this out themselves." Uh, no, that's how you get a lord of the flies situation with bullying and sometimes violent behavior, because if kids don't get consistent reinforcement of behavioral expectations, they will gravitate towards selfish, often mean or unkind behavior. Most kids are not naturally kind-- you need to socialize them. |
How old is your kid that you’re checking out at the playground? I’m a SAHM and although I’d love to check out at the playground I don’t. |