What would you have done in this situation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not leave a bike in the entrance or a place where other kids will bother it. Why did you leave it there?

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not leave a bike in the entrance or a place where other kids will bother it. Why did you leave it there?

This.

Because unlike most overweight, unhealthy Americans they rode together, and unlike most helicopters on this board the parent was dropping her child off and going to do something else instead of hovering outside.

[Anonymous]

Now you know next time to park it farther away where that kid can’t see it.

[Anonymous]

You could be held negligent for leaving what is called an attractive nuisance.

[Anonymous]

I'm a PP. What if OP had written this instead:

"On the way to my daughter's toddler storytime class at the library, we stopped at the grocery store to buy some grapes. I brought the open bag of grapes into the class and put them on a low shelf at the back of the classroom. I would've put them higher up, but here was no other shelf, so I had to put them on this low shelf. A 2-year-old walked up and tried to take a grape. I told her she shouldn't take them because she could choke, but she just said 'I want a grape!' I caught her mom's eye, and she said 'Oh, do you not want her to eat the grapes?' And I said 'No, I didn't bring the grapes for sharing, and plus she could choke on them.' After that, I sat down with my daughter on the other side of the room, so I wasn't able to guard the grapes myself. All through the class, kids kept going up to the grapes and even taking some, and some of their parents didn't even try to stop them."

What would you guys say in that situation? I would say that it's weird if the other parents didn't say something like "hey we don't take other people's food," but I mostly think it's OP's fault for bringing a bag of grapes to a room full of toddlers for her own convenience, and then putting the burden on other parents to keep their kids away from the grapes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a PP. What if OP had written this instead:

"On the way to my daughter's toddler storytime class at the library, we stopped at the grocery store to buy some grapes. I brought the open bag of grapes into the class and put them on a low shelf at the back of the classroom. I would've put them higher up, but here was no other shelf, so I had to put them on this low shelf. A 2-year-old walked up and tried to take a grape. I told her she shouldn't take them because she could choke, but she just said 'I want a grape!' I caught her mom's eye, and she said 'Oh, do you not want her to eat the grapes?' And I said 'No, I didn't bring the grapes for sharing, and plus she could choke on them.' After that, I sat down with my daughter on the other side of the room, so I wasn't able to guard the grapes myself. All through the class, kids kept going up to the grapes and even taking some, and some of their parents didn't even try to stop them."

What would you guys say in that situation? I would say that it's weird if the other parents didn't say something like "hey we don't take other people's food," but I mostly think it's OP's fault for bringing a bag of grapes to a room full of toddlers for her own convenience, and then putting the burden on other parents to keep their kids away from the grapes.

The two are not analogous situations. Bringing grapes into storytine would be the same as bringing a bike inside the lesson space and distracting all the kids with it.

A similar situation to the bike being appropriately used for transportation and parked outside would be if a mom had groceries in her car. She parked outside the activity and dropped off her daughter, then opened the trunk to rearrange a grocery bag that had tipped over. An unsupervised 2 year old tries to climb in the car and demands some grapes. You’re saying it would be the mom’s fault for opening the trunk and creating a temptation for the kid.

Do you realize how crazy that is? You’re basically saying that people have to give up legitimate means of transportation so as to not tempt random kids into doing something destructive...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could be held negligent for leaving what is called an attractive nuisance.

Mmm, the distracted mom could also end up with a CPS call for not supervising a 2 year old. Just sayin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mostly agree that it’s weird that’s the girl’s mom didn’t at least come over and tell her “we don’t ride other people’s bikes.” It’s weird that she just stood there.

I have to say though, re: attractive nuisances: it did bother me when my daughter was 12-24 months (and not very good yet at remembering rules) when parents would bring strollers full of snacks and toys, fun big wheels-type things, etc, to the playground or library kids area or whatever. I got really annoyed that I brought my daughter somewhere for her to explore and play, but now I had to spend all this time keeping her away from other kids’ things. So I do think the attractive nuisance idea has some merit - but i’m not sure it applies in this situation.

The playground is primarily for kids 4 and up unless you are specifically at a toddler playground. You had no right to be annoyed that the parents of kids who are more appropriately there had stuff for them. I take my 2 year old to playgrounds with her 5 year old brother but I’m well aware there is stuff there not meant for her. And I try to keep her from bothering the older kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a PP. What if OP had written this instead:

"On the way to my daughter's toddler storytime class at the library, we stopped at the grocery store to buy some grapes. I brought the open bag of grapes into the class and put them on a low shelf at the back of the classroom. I would've put them higher up, but here was no other shelf, so I had to put them on this low shelf. A 2-year-old walked up and tried to take a grape. I told her she shouldn't take them because she could choke, but she just said 'I want a grape!' I caught her mom's eye, and she said 'Oh, do you not want her to eat the grapes?' And I said 'No, I didn't bring the grapes for sharing, and plus she could choke on them.' After that, I sat down with my daughter on the other side of the room, so I wasn't able to guard the grapes myself. All through the class, kids kept going up to the grapes and even taking some, and some of their parents didn't even try to stop them."

What would you guys say in that situation? I would say that it's weird if the other parents didn't say something like "hey we don't take other people's food," but I mostly think it's OP's fault for bringing a bag of grapes to a room full of toddlers for her own convenience, and then putting the burden on other parents to keep their kids away from the grapes.

The two are not analogous situations. Bringing grapes into storytine would be the same as bringing a bike inside the lesson space and distracting all the kids with it.

A similar situation to the bike being appropriately used for transportation and parked outside would be if a mom had groceries in her car. She parked outside the activity and dropped off her daughter, then opened the trunk to rearrange a grocery bag that had tipped over. An unsupervised 2 year old tries to climb in the car and demands some grapes. You’re saying it would be the mom’s fault for opening the trunk and creating a temptation for the kid.

Do you realize how crazy that is? You’re basically saying that people have to give up legitimate means of transportation so as to not tempt random kids into doing something destructive...

I’m not sure your analogy fits either. OP left the bike outside the door to the center, in a place where it sounds like other children were gathering and/or playing. And there was no bike rack, so it wasn’t really a place to leave a bike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a PP. What if OP had written this instead:

"On the way to my daughter's toddler storytime class at the library, we stopped at the grocery store to buy some grapes. I brought the open bag of grapes into the class and put them on a low shelf at the back of the classroom. I would've put them higher up, but here was no other shelf, so I had to put them on this low shelf. A 2-year-old walked up and tried to take a grape. I told her she shouldn't take them because she could choke, but she just said 'I want a grape!' I caught her mom's eye, and she said 'Oh, do you not want her to eat the grapes?' And I said 'No, I didn't bring the grapes for sharing, and plus she could choke on them.' After that, I sat down with my daughter on the other side of the room, so I wasn't able to guard the grapes myself. All through the class, kids kept going up to the grapes and even taking some, and some of their parents didn't even try to stop them."

What would you guys say in that situation? I would say that it's weird if the other parents didn't say something like "hey we don't take other people's food," but I mostly think it's OP's fault for bringing a bag of grapes to a room full of toddlers for her own convenience, and then putting the burden on other parents to keep their kids away from the grapes.

The two are not analogous situations. Bringing grapes into storytine would be the same as bringing a bike inside the lesson space and distracting all the kids with it.

A similar situation to the bike being appropriately used for transportation and parked outside would be if a mom had groceries in her car. She parked outside the activity and dropped off her daughter, then opened the trunk to rearrange a grocery bag that had tipped over. An unsupervised 2 year old tries to climb in the car and demands some grapes. You’re saying it would be the mom’s fault for opening the trunk and creating a temptation for the kid.

Do you realize how crazy that is? You’re basically saying that people have to give up legitimate means of transportation so as to not tempt random kids into doing something destructive...

I’m not sure your analogy fits either. OP left the bike outside the door to the center, in a place where it sounds like other children were gathering and/or playing. And there was no bike rack, so it wasn’t really a place to leave a bike.

Still doesn’t excuse touching stuff that isn’t theirs. The kid’s mom knows that even if the kid doesn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mostly agree that it’s weird that’s the girl’s mom didn’t at least come over and tell her “we don’t ride other people’s bikes.” It’s weird that she just stood there.

I have to say though, re: attractive nuisances: it did bother me when my daughter was 12-24 months (and not very good yet at remembering rules) when parents would bring strollers full of snacks and toys, fun big wheels-type things, etc, to the playground or library kids area or whatever. I got really annoyed that I brought my daughter somewhere for her to explore and play, but now I had to spend all this time keeping her away from other kids’ things. So I do think the attractive nuisance idea has some merit - but i’m not sure it applies in this situation.

The playground is primarily for kids 4 and up unless you are specifically at a toddler playground. You had no right to be annoyed that the parents of kids who are more appropriately there had stuff for them. I take my 2 year old to playgrounds with her 5 year old brother but I’m well aware there is stuff there not meant for her. And I try to keep her from bothering the older kids.

I see your point, but I wasn't really talking about kids bringing otherwise playground-appropriate things to the playground that were just not age-appropriate for my daughter. Obviously if some 5-year-olds are playing with a soccer ball at the park, they are totally allowed to do that, and it is definitely my responsibility to keep my 2-year-old away from them. I am talking about when a parent parks their stroller full of snacks and toys right near the little toddler slide and then I have to constantly keep my toddler away from it. Like, can't you park your stroller off to the side, and keep a few snacks and toys in a zipped-up backpack? Why does it all have to be out in the open just begging other toddlers to come mess with it? Or when people let their kid watch a show on an iPad right in the middle of the children's play area at the library. Like, why? You didn't need to bring that to the library, and now all my toddler wants to do is stare at this screen with your kid, and that is really not why I brought her to the library.

[Anonymous]

It was the two year old's mom's job to parent her. It's okay for you to leave your daughter's bike outside, but unreasonable for you to expect that a bicycle left outside of a chidren's activity would not be touched by other children. It would be better for you to put her bike further away from the door.

You didn't really do anything wrong, but your expectation that no one would touch the bike left in a public place and not chained to anything was truly unreasonable indeed. Your expectation that some random mom or caregiver would keep their kid off of your bike even though you're not willing to tell her directly that you want her to EVEN THOUGH SHE ASKED YOU was even more odd.

You parent your kid. She parents hers. End of story.

Also, in my opinion, you were both the jerks here.

[Anonymous]

Honestly while I think the other mom should’ve been watching their child, you really shouldn’t be leaving your child’s bike in the hallway. If you can’t stay there or take bike with you; then get a tandem, bike along hitch, or drop her off another way. I’m surprised they let you leave the bike there unattended.

[Anonymous]

OP, you say the truth, "I don't want her on the bike" or "Please make sure she does not get on the bike".

Sure Mom shouldn't have let her. However, say ALL that you mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a PP. What if OP had written this instead:

"On the way to my daughter's toddler storytime class at the library, we stopped at the grocery store to buy some grapes. I brought the open bag of grapes into the class and put them on a low shelf at the back of the classroom. I would've put them higher up, but here was no other shelf, so I had to put them on this low shelf. A 2-year-old walked up and tried to take a grape. I told her she shouldn't take them because she could choke, but she just said 'I want a grape!' I caught her mom's eye, and she said 'Oh, do you not want her to eat the grapes?' And I said 'No, I didn't bring the grapes for sharing, and plus she could choke on them.' After that, I sat down with my daughter on the other side of the room, so I wasn't able to guard the grapes myself. All through the class, kids kept going up to the grapes and even taking some, and some of their parents didn't even try to stop them."

What would you guys say in that situation? I would say that it's weird if the other parents didn't say something like "hey we don't take other people's food," but I mostly think it's OP's fault for bringing a bag of grapes to a room full of toddlers for her own convenience, and then putting the burden on other parents to keep their kids away from the grapes.

Op here and this is a totally unfair analogy. I wasn’t taking my child to a toddler activity, I was taking her to her an activity for her and other 7-10yr olds. Most parents drop-off, but some stay (along with their younger children). But it’s not a toddler playground or activity. They also have cubbies outside the activity where kids can also keep their things like clothes, shoes, water bottles, during the activity. It’s expected (from my perspective) that parents with young children aren’t just allowing their toddlers to go grabbing everyone else’s things just because they are there. I wouldn’t be surprised if that particular 2yo I encountered went over to the cubbies to take a drink from one of those water bottles or started pulling out the clothes and shoes.

The child was an anomaly. Most toddlers, when a stranger asks them to stop doing something, they listen. And most parents would have stepped in if they saw their child climbing on someone else’s bike.

The problem for me was the parent. Even if I give her the benefit of the doubt that maybe she wasn’t in earshot when I told her daughter six times to get off the bike, she still shouldn’t have been just watching as her daughter attempted to ride the thing. It was heavy, even for my much older child. And then she says “oh do you not want her on the bike?” I clearly said no.