Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:29     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
We try to be as welcoming as possible when out in a park, but right now, in a pandemic, I mean...you know? It's just not the time for new faces in a social circle. Sucks, but that's how it is until we get this under control.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:15     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
Op here again- I think I had a lucid moment and saw my son being happy and playing and for a second it wasn’t so isolating. He has missed his friends at school- most of whom have moved to other places or are too far to get to. We don’t have family Here so I let my guard down just for a second ( although we had masks on - and i have squeeze packets of purell so I’m not that whimsical about this) but I was just in awe and idk- I don’t have much else to say and will assume like others this is covid related.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:11     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
I’m okay with it being covid related. It likely was the case.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:11     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
I think this is 100% covid. The grandma probably isn't thrilled with the exposure she already has. Honestly, I'm not letting my kids have this kind of contact with other people/kids.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:07     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
Sounds like a grandmother with COVID skittishness.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:05     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
It could be COVID, it could be a grandmother who doesn't want to add anything to her plate, it could be an insanely rude person who hates to see children happy. Agree with your mom that although this was not a great interaction, you've got to take it as not meant to be.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:02     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
Probably COVID but could be anything. Maybe she's not supposed to have the kid and doesn't want to give out her number. Maybe home life is a shambles. Maybe the mom and dad wouldn't appreciate meeting a stranger at the park. Who knows.

Could be anything -- but probably COVID. Why were they playing together like that an holding hands? Maybe the grandmother is upset your took her health so lightly.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 16:01     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
Anonymous wrote:Let me guess -- you put out on the first date and then wonder why the other person never calls you back.



WTF? You are disgusting.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:59     Subject: Re:rejection from other parents/caretakers
OP, I've had similar things happen and it is very hard not to feel hurt by it. I think your reaction is normal. I also have an only and it is very hard to meet other families before your kid is in school. Hugs to you and to your son.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:56     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
OP, people get rejected and race plays no part acceptance or rejection. Often caretakers, paid or Grandmas, don't want the hassle of further involvement.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:54     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
You don't know what's going on in that grandmother's life. She may or may not be the child's regular caregiver or maybe she has a backstory she doesn't want to explain. Or maybe she's just an unfriendly person. Don't take it personally.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:53     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
I haven't dealt with this, but just wanted to say I'm sorry. That's awful. My kid is starved for friends -- his are either quarantining or have moved away -- and I'd love for him to meet some new kids, regardless of race, ethnicity or anything other than finding another kid he plays well with.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:51     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
I'd chalk it up to the pandemic and to an older grandmother who isn't interested in play dates.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:49     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
Anonymous wrote:I don't know where to start as I'm still processing my feelings about this. My son and I whom are both AA live on capitol hill. he is an only child. We went to the park today and ran into another little AA boy along with this grandmother. The little boy, being 1 year older than my child was eager to play. It made me super happy not only because my son made a fast friend, but also connected with a child of color in his age range which is sparse on this block. All theses elements are very rare around here-so it felt good to make this connection. They got along so well that I introduced myself to the grandmother hoping to do a play date again. She gave me the cold shoulder. As we were leaving the other child asked if we could 'call him' and 'come visit him at his house' and 'can we come back to the park to play again'. I told him to check if his grandmother was okay with us giving him a call. My son and this little boy walked hand in hand -yes literally-to the grandmother asking for permission to hang out again and the grandmother said she forgot her phone number. Basically this wouldn't happen and I wasn't going to force it no matter what. I called my mom to run down what occurred and she called it likely a blessing in disguise and all skin folk ain't my kinfolk (for the people in the back-just because you share the same race or ethnicity doesn't mean your values are the same or the intentions are the same).

I think i feel a bunch of things: rejection from the grandmother, the exasperation of making friends with other families and pairing them with my child, only for relationships to not be maintained. my incessant need to have him exposed to other groups of people besides white people, and just trying to bring back any sense of normalcy. have any othere parents dealt with this? how do I manage my emotions? As I type this, my son is asking me about the other little boy.

I'd like to note-we were all wearing masks.


Honestly, if I happened to go to a playground and met a family I didn't know, I would not be making friends right now, especially with kids that young where I don't think virtual play dates are particularly useful. (I don't know how old your kids are but I'm guessing young?). Anyway, I'd chalk it up to the pandemic. I am not particularly stranger-friendly right now and I imagine others are not either.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2020 15:45     Subject: rejection from other parents/caretakers
I don't know where to start as I'm still processing my feelings about this. My son and I whom are both AA live on capitol hill. he is an only child. We went to the park today and ran into another little AA boy along with this grandmother. The little boy, being 1 year older than my child was eager to play. It made me super happy not only because my son made a fast friend, but also connected with a child of color in his age range which is sparse on this block. All theses elements are very rare around here-so it felt good to make this connection. They got along so well that I introduced myself to the grandmother hoping to do a play date again. She gave me the cold shoulder. As we were leaving the other child asked if we could 'call him' and 'come visit him at his house' and 'can we come back to the park to play again'. I told him to check if his grandmother was okay with us giving him a call. My son and this little boy walked hand in hand -yes literally-to the grandmother asking for permission to hang out again and the grandmother said she forgot her phone number. Basically this wouldn't happen and I wasn't going to force it no matter what. I called my mom to run down what occurred and she called it likely a blessing in disguise and all skin folk ain't my kinfolk (for the people in the back-just because you share the same race or ethnicity doesn't mean your values are the same or the intentions are the same).

I think i feel a bunch of things: rejection from the grandmother, the exasperation of making friends with other families and pairing them with my child, only for relationships to not be maintained. my incessant need to have him exposed to other groups of people besides white people, and just trying to bring back any sense of normalcy. have any othere parents dealt with this? how do I manage my emotions? As I type this, my son is asking me about the other little boy.

I'd like to note-we were all wearing masks.