Parents who don't intervene -- why not?

[Anonymous]

Couple examples recently...

1) At the playground, parent whining/cajoling their 5 year old to stop climbing up the slide when another kid was trying to go down. Lots of: "Come on now Larlo. I mean it. etc." but the kid is just blatantly ignoring the parent and doesn't get off. The parent never actually just went over there and removed their kid off the slide.

2) 2 year old girl at our house for a play date, and she doesn't want to leave. Her mom is saying: "Time to go now Larla! Please Larla! We have to go. If you don't come right now Mommy's going to be very sad at you." and on and on until she ended up bribing her with something.

When these things happen, I truly wonder why parents don't just physically intervene. Like, why not just pick up your kid and head out? I know the playdate mom fairly well, and she's smart, and she's not lazy.

[Anonymous]

They're afraid of upsetting their kids.

[Anonymous]

They just don't want to deal with it.

We were at the playground behind our house over the weekend and there was a family there with 5 kids. The kids were out of control and the parents were just sitting on a bench saying passively, "Come on now, Beckett, don't do that. No, Logan, daddy doesn't like that."

They were so aggressive that my daughter (3 years old) didn't want to play there. I think they sort of freaked her out.

People need to keep their kids under control.

[Anonymous]

I try really hard not to parents with my size: picking them up because I'm stronger and I CAN. That said, I don't repeat myself 5000x and say what your friend did.

[Anonymous]

I make sure that my kid gets enough consequences at home so that all I need to do in public is give him "the look" and he knows I mean business.

I have been known to step in when kids refused to leave my house and say "if you don't do what mom says, you will not be allowed to come back." Gets them going pretty fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're afraid of upsetting their kids.

This. It’s just a display for the other parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They just don't want to deal with it.

We were at the playground behind our house over the weekend and there was a family there with 5 kids. The kids were out of control and the parents were just sitting on a bench saying passively, "Come on now, Beckett, don't do that. No, Logan, daddy doesn't like that."

They were so aggressive that my daughter (3 years old) didn't want to play there. I think they sort of freaked her out.

People need to keep their kids under control.

This exactly and I'm so so sick of the bolded. Stop staring into space with your mouth hanging open while your kids raises hell in public.

[Anonymous]

I say this in the nicest possible way, stop complaining about your friends and talk to them. Or sneak in by example another way to handle the situation. As far as other parents playground, we’re all weirdos and annoy other parents in someway. Just move to another part and teach your kid resiliency. Yeah they should be a little more specific with their kid but if they’re not you always have legs to move to another area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I make sure that my kid gets enough consequences at home so that all I need to do in public is give him "the look" and he knows I mean business.

I have been known to step in when kids refused to leave my house and say "if you don't do what mom says, you will not be allowed to come back." Gets them going pretty fast.

Ohhh, I like this. Thanks, PP.

[Anonymous]

They're not as good a parent as you are, clearly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're not as good a parent as you are, clearly.

Truly. It boggles the mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're not as good a parent as you are, clearly.

I'm not a perfect parent, but I do try to be mindful of my kids' behavior in public, especially when it's negatively affecting other people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're not as good a parent as you are, clearly.

I'm not a perfect parent, but I do try to be mindful of my kids' behavior in public, especially when it's negatively affecting other people.

I just don't know what you want people to say (if you're OP). These posts are so self-congratulatory and lame (and yes, my kids are well-behaved).

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't worry about it. You don't know their kids or what makes the day go more smoothly for everyone. There is a complex calculus involved in every parenting decision, and unless you're responsible for a child 24/7, 365, then you're just an onlooker with a limited view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I say this in the nicest possible way, stop complaining about your friends and talk to them. Or sneak in by example another way to handle the situation. As far as other parents playground, we’re all weirdos and annoy other parents in someway. Just move to another part and teach your kid resiliency. Yeah they should be a little more specific with their kid but if they’re not you always have legs to move to another area

This doesn’t always work. I’ve had kids follow us all over the playground. One recently was in our faces begging us to come see the dish he cooked in the sandbox. I said “Sure, but we are going to have a snack first.” (My 2 year old was eating). He kept running over and whining and trying to touch my kid. Mom was in the sandbox and was SUPERPROUD of her kid. Even when we joined them and her kid started scooping sand up and trying to put it in my 2 year old’s mouth to taste, she didn’t intervene. I never touch another person’s kid or pull toys out of their hands, but I will say I’ve been tempted when yet another kid runs over and grabs something my kid is playing with. I will say it seems kind of common in this area. We’ve been elsewhere in the country to visit family and on other trips and parents and children seem different.