© Can Stock Photo / tiverylucky
NZ Mum Disagrees With US Dad
Do you know why I love playgrounds?
Because I can take my kids there and just sit down and check my social media accounts while my kids terrorise other children; unsupervised.
YES. MY PLAN AS A PARENT HAS WORKED!
They are finally of an age where I can just “deposit my poorly behaved children” so I can “gab” to other adults and look at my social media.
YASSSSSSSSS Parenting level unlocked!
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In reality, playgrounds really scare the sh*t out of me. It’s where I have to learn to let my kids be kids.
What I would like to do is sit down and watch them play, but inevitably I get called to either play with them, or help them up because they can’t climb properly.
I read a Stuff article this morning from a US Dad. Basically it says he “hates playgrounds” because it’s where parents “deposit their kids so they can play on social media and chat to friends”. All the while their kids are terrorising other children and the parent doesn’t even care.
I’m sure that happens here in New Zealand, but I personally haven’t seen it in my travels.
Being at a playground is scary … SERIOUSLY.
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I take my kids to a playground to get out of the house, usually because I’m feeling trapped, or like a terrible parent for doing nothing with my kids.
So we toddle on off to a playground in the hopes it’ll help my kids get some energy out, so that they might nap later in the day. Or at least so I cay say to my husband “we went out today!”.
While we are there my heart races the whole time. Usually because my kids are standing on the edge of a tall structure saying “look at me Mum” …. Dear God child please don’t fall.
Then they go down the slide and try to climb back up the slide; while another child is trying to go down the slide.
So I become the “helicopter mom” trying to explain to my child that when other kids are around, they have to slide down and not climb up.
I sit down, to let my child play by themselves, but they call me over. “Play with me mummy” … “climb through this really small hole and pretend to be a pirate”.
EEEEUGH pretending to be people is my least favourite thing. I suck at that game!
So I stand by and just say “no darling it’s your turn to play”.
COME AND PUSH ME ON THE SWING!!!
And we do this over and over and over again. Like Groundhog Day.
Then after about 15 minutes of clock watching, I say “Ok I think it’s time to go home now” and am seriously regretting ever leaving the house.
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I totally get there are some parents who check out when they go to a playground – I wish I could!
We don’t know anyone’s back story as to why they need to check out. I prefer not to jump to conclusions and think they’re a shit parent.
In fact, I applaud them.
I do agree with the fact that it’s annoying other parents don’t watch their kids terrorising other children. Although, like I said above, I haven’t seen that yet. All the Mum’s I’ve encountered have been pretty with it.
And I’ve been to a lot of playgrounds!
How do you feel about playgrounds?
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