How do you deal with unruly older kids at the playground?

[Anonymous]

At that age sometimes you have to seek out the toddler appropriate playgrounds.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, but the bigger kids are in the right if it's not a toddler playground and it is totally on you to monitor your 16 month old and move them out of the way. Playgrounds that have a shaky bridge are not designed for 16 month olds, they usually even have ages of 5+ posted. Let your kid explore it when there aren't big kids there, but monopolizing a playground that isn't intended for the age of your child when the appropriately aged children are there and using the equipment properly is pretty poor form.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry, but the bigger kids are in the right if it's not a toddler playground and it is totally on you to monitor your 16 month old and move them out of the way. Playgrounds that have a shaky bridge are not designed for 16 month olds, they usually even have ages of 5+ posted. Let your kid explore it when there aren't big kids there, but monopolizing a playground that isn't intended for the age of your child when the appropriately aged children are there and using the equipment properly is pretty poor form.

Don't be sorry. You're in the right. OP is clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry, but the bigger kids are in the right if it's not a toddler playground and it is totally on you to monitor your 16 month old and move them out of the way. Playgrounds that have a shaky bridge are not designed for 16 month olds, they usually even have ages of 5+ posted. Let your kid explore it when there aren't big kids there, but monopolizing a playground that isn't intended for the age of your child when the appropriately aged children are there and using the equipment properly is pretty poor form.

Don't be sorry. You're in the right. OP is clueless.

I'm not really sorry, but was trying to be nice. I'm assuming OP is a first time mom to her very young toddler.

[Anonymous]

Same as other posters. I have a 17 month old. The playground near our house only has one structure (not sure of the age limit but I think probably 5+). I let him climb around and then move him out of the way when the bigger kids come to play.

[Anonymous]

Funny - we go to a playground with one of those bridges, and I tell my 4 year old to get off when the 10 year olds arrive because they (rightfully) get rowdy on it and I figure if he can't handle the rowdiness, he doesn't belong there when kids in the intended 5-12 year age range want to play. With babies, we stayed away, unless no other kids were there.

Older kids have so few places where they can play unhampered, test their own limits, and practice social negotiations. If I see something truly dangerous, I'll say something (eg kid swinging a big stick around on the equipment), but during non-school hours, i feel like it's my job to keep my little guys out of the way.

[Anonymous]

I am still tripping off the fact that you are calling the other kids "unruly" -- FOR REAL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unfortunately 10:23 is 100% right. You can play on the big kid equipment if it's not being used, but you need to step aside when it is. You will realize this when your kid is the 6 year old trying to use the slide in an age appropriate way!

Yup. What's too rambunctious for yours is fine for them. Let them play. Although I would hope they would "wait" while your toddler finished with the slide, you should then take her somewhere more age appropriate to play.

[Anonymous]

I'm a parent of 5 and 7 year old boys. I woke up one day and realized I had transitioned to being the one that can' stand the older kids to being the one that appears not to be involved enough in what her crazy-ass, large children are doing and are running over toddlers.

I do my best, I tell my kids to watch what they're doing and be careful of the little ones.

First, I'm just going to give a big, blanket apology.

And then I'm going to say - it's SO MUCH easier to take your toddlers some place else. My kids are huge and busy and they really need the playground and they need me not to be helicoptering them. Please give us some latitude, I swear to God you'll understand when they're older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry, but the bigger kids are in the right if it's not a toddler playground and it is totally on you to monitor your 16 month old and move them out of the way. Playgrounds that have a shaky bridge are not designed for 16 month olds, they usually even have ages of 5+ posted. Let your kid explore it when there aren't big kids there, but monopolizing a playground that isn't intended for the age of your child when the appropriately aged children are there and using the equipment properly is pretty poor form.

Don't be sorry. You're in the right. OP is clueless.

I'm not really sorry, but was trying to be nice. I'm assuming OP is a first time mom to her very young toddler.

+40

Take her somewhere else. It is not fair to the older kids to make them play a certain way around your toddler who is not on an age appropriate structure. All of the little play areas in our neighborhood have two small sections - one for kids 2-5 and another for kids 5+. I let my kids play on both, but if older kids come up, I move them to the "baby" structure.

OR you can keep snatching her off of the equipment an being annoyed. However, the onus is on you. Not the kids who are playing appropriately on an age-appropriate structure.

[Anonymous]

Is OP a troll or serious?

[Anonymous]

OP - I completely thought the same thing when my first kid was that age. Can't wait to hear your perspective in a few years.

You kid is welcome to play in older playgrounds as long as you and your DH are watching her. Don't put that burden on other children who are using the playgrounds correctly.

[Anonymous]

I clicked on this fully expecting a story about 12 year old + children pushing down toddlers, spitting, or doing other unruly things.

But a 4-7 year old pushing to go down a slide? Give me a break. Move your toddler, or let her get roughed around a bit. Might do her some good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is OP a troll or serious?

Haha I think, unlike usually when a troll posts and never returns, OP's lack of response is a sign that she's a real mom who just got schooled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this fully expecting a story about 12 year old + children pushing down toddlers, spitting, or doing other unruly things.
But a 4-7 year old pushing to go down a slide? Give me a break. Move your toddler, or let her get roughed around a bit. Might do her some good.

Ha I thought it'd be about 14 year olds smoking and using foul language