to the father who failed to correct his daughter at the playground yesterday...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Excellent teachable moment!

I've used similar situations to explain politics to my young kids. More specifically: the difference between Democrats and Republicans. The last time it happened, I took it a step further by explaining how republicans not only refuse to share, but also have a propensity towards throwing sand aimlessly without considering the impact of those around them. I'm totally serious. Most folks around me laughed, and one father actually applauded and ask me who I worked for.

Again, use these moments to educate your child (and those around you).

I feel so sorry for your children... Is everything political to you? Ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Battle over toys at the playground among young children happens, and I suppose, is to be expected. However, I'm appalled that you sat there and did nothing when my toddler tried to engage with your 4/5 year old daughter, and her response was to scoop up all the toys and scream 'NOOOOO!' in my toddler's face. When my toddler reacted by swatting your child, I immediately intervened, got on your daughter's eye-level, apologized to her, made my toddler apologize, THEN left the scene to teach my toddler that hitting will not be tolerated, period.

Would you be a parent the next time and teach your daughter that all children are allowed to play with toys found at the playground, as this is community property, and screaming in another child's face is inappropriate?

Signed,

Annoyed Mom

OP,
I read your post, and I scanned the responses on page one. I'm not surprised. Parents that post here do not parent. But they are the first ones to be all hypercritical of anyone else's parenting style. It's great that you are teaching your son right from wrong. I'm sure there are parents that appreciate it, I know I do. It's much easier to be like most of the moms on here. My only advice to you is to lower your expectations of other people. That's what I've done and it does help, also not easy, but it helps.

You also clearly only have one child who is a sweet infant, adorable baby or precocious toddler. Clearly.

Lol, close! I have one. He's 8yo and we are struggling with his behavior at the moment. But he's great with other kids, he just disrespects dh & I at home, or out in public. I'm not planning on lowering my expectations of his behavior though. And who cares if I have one or a whole litter? We decided to have just one because we didn't want anymore. Kids put a lot of stress on a marriage. We realized that early on and decided not to have any more. Does that make me less of a parent?

[Anonymous]

Not intervening in a child's social interaction can be parenting. The 4/5 year old needs to learn more than 'don't yell'. She needs to learn how to figure things out, how to manage impulses and emotions, and how to recover from mistakes.

A toddler's swat can be a better teaching tool than a parent's forced apology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a tip you can use, OP. These "To the ____ who did ____ today" threads never go well. You just are starting off from a position where you look like a complainer. And you don't get a lot of sympathy when your kid hit someone on the playground.

LOl this is so true! Has one of these EVER gone OP's way?

Exactly. This is almost the opposite of the story time library mom. Everyone was attacking her for "not sharing" with the other kid who came up & ATTEMPTED to take the whole bin of toys. They were all on the toy stealing kids side in that situation, but now, all of a sudden, OP's kid is in the wrong for trying to take a toy that wasn't being played with. Typical.

[Anonymous]

I think you are being much too harsh on this father.

Yes, it was a little rude of his daughter and it would have been ideal for him to step in and advise his daughter to not be so mean regarding the toys, but kids are kids and I see this happen at playgrounds often. I would just have my child move on.

It's really no big deal if he didn't intervene and I do not think his daughter's toys are automatically "community" property just because she brings them to the playground. That is a preposterous assumption on your part OP.

I think you are just an overstressed mother.

You should take a mental health day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the 4/5 year old is not autistic or has some other impairment? Perhaps the father should explain that to you rather than let it go on, but it could explain why he didn't do what you expect (and sound like you expect major kudos for btw).

Tired excuse. "Special needs made me do it."

All the 4 year old did was yell NO. The OP took a toy and then hit the 4 year old. OP child is not special needs. She didn't supervise her violent toddler well and then got angry at a slightly older child for being upset and standing up for themselves.

Believe it or not, special needs are on the rise due to better diagnosis and more awareness. More kids have something going on and deal with it. What would you expected the 4 year old to do - thank the toddler for stealing the toy and hitting them?

OP's toddler is not violent just because she hit a child who yelled at her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the 4/5 year old is not autistic or has some other impairment? Perhaps the father should explain that to you rather than let it go on, but it could explain why he didn't do what you expect (and sound like you expect major kudos for btw).

Tired excuse. "Special needs made me do it."

All the 4 year old did was yell NO. The OP took a toy and then hit the 4 year old. OP child is not special needs. She didn't supervise her violent toddler well and then got angry at a slightly older child for being upset and standing up for themselves.

Believe it or not, special needs are on the rise due to better diagnosis and more awareness. More kids have something going on and deal with it. What would you expected the 4 year old to do - thank the toddler for stealing the toy and hitting them?

OP's toddler is not violent just because she hit a child who yelled at her.

She first took a toy and then hit her! Yelling is different than taking a toy and hitting. Its not ok and she needs to be more proactive with her child. She should have removed her daughter from the situation immediately after she took the toy and redirected her to play with something else. Not wait for a fight and getting upset at another child's reaction to her child taking a toy and hitting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Excellent teachable moment!

I've used similar situations to explain politics to my young kids. More specifically: the difference between Democrats and Republicans. The last time it happened, I took it a step further by explaining how republicans not only refuse to share, but also have a propensity towards throwing sand aimlessly without considering the impact of those around them. I'm totally serious. Most folks around me laughed, and one father actually applauded and ask me who I worked for.

Again, use these moments to educate your child (and those around you).

Great example! Sorry if I see it as "Liberal whiner couldn't bring his own toys and demanded that someone else provide for him. When that person had a problem with it, he used violence as his solution, then his liberal mother tried to justify his actions" You teach it your way, I will teach it mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a tip you can use, OP. These "To the ____ who did ____ today" threads never go well. You just are starting off from a position where you look like a complainer. And you don't get a lot of sympathy when your kid hit someone on the playground.

LOl this is so true! Has one of these EVER gone OP's way?

Exactly. This is almost the opposite of the story time library mom. Everyone was attacking her for "not sharing" with the other kid who came up & ATTEMPTED to take the whole bin of toys. They were all on the toy stealing kids side in that situation, but now, all of a sudden, OP's kid is in the wrong for trying to take a toy that wasn't being played with. Typical.

The common part is the crazy adult. That is what everyone reacts to so harshly. The kids are just being kids. The adults (OPs) are acting like idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP,

Please make a note to self that you should reread this thread once your child is about 3 and a half.

Thanks,

Everyone else

totally agree with this. I would not have intervened in this situation either, and I suspect OP will feel the same way when her DD is 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So your kid stole toys and then hit and HE's the bad parent? Your kid sounds absolutely awful.

You could look at it from this point OP!

[Anonymous]

When is yelling a crime?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP,

Please make a note to self that you should reread this thread once your child is about 3 and a half.

Thanks,

Everyone else

totally agree with this. I would not have intervened in this situation either, and I suspect OP will feel the same way when her DD is 4.

AMEN.

[Anonymous]

+1. OP, get off your high horse.

[Anonymous]

That's why I usually try to avoid playgrounds - obsessive parents like OP.