I took Bay to the indoor play place the other day in order to have her work off some extra energy. She had a blast, but it got me thinking about the etiquette of such places.
For example, tons of the parents (including yours truly) followed their spawn around the place, making sure they didn't kill either themselves or some other random child. However, there were quite a few parents either hanging out around the perimeter of the play area or in the little "cafe" area outside the play place. Were their kids older? With other adults? Did they not care? Enquiring minds want to know!
Also, what's the proper way to handle an older child who is obviously being a douche to a younger child? (Or more importantly, what's the proper way to handle an older child being a douche to
Bay?)
Bay was spinning this...thing around. It looked like a toilet paper roll full of sparkly tic-tacs and she was trying to see how fast she could get it going and then stop it in its tracks. Big fun for a 2 year old, you know? So, this little girl who was maybe 6 or 7 crawls through the play tree to where Bay was, and stuck her grimy, little hand out and stopped the rolling thing in its tracks and wouldn't let Bay continue to play with it. I held off saying or doing anything for a minute, because I thought, "Really, this older kid is going to fuck with my toddler? Surely not!" After Bay started to freak, I realized that the brat was going to fuck with her. So I glared at the kid and said, "Come on Bay, let's go play somewhere else...where the kids are nice." The girl got the hint, removed her hand, and avoided us the rest of the time we were there. I was so ready for the girl's mom to come and try and go mama-bear on me, but I was ready.
Dress code. Is there one? I was wearing comfy jeans, fun socks, and a hoody and I was MASSIVELY underdressed. Along those lines...some women should.not. wear skinny jeans. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Just sayin'.
Maybe it's just me, but if I was a parent hanging out in the cafe outside the play place and saw a wee one wandering sans parent, I'd...I don't know, notify someone. Better yet, if I opened the door out of the play place, I'd make damn sure it was closed behind me so a wee one couldn't get out. I think I closed the door about eleventy times after some idiot parent walked out to check their stocks or get a latte and didn't shut the door behind them. Also, I had a frelling heart attack when I lost Bay for a minute...she wandered out of the play area looking for her juice box. Now, the door knob to get out is on the outside of the door, so I know she didn't open it herself which means someone left the door open. Idiots.
So, anyone want to fill me in on proper play place behavior?
People are stupid. That sums it up, right? I understand people wanting a break, and letting their kids run around while they chat (because parents at those places are always on the phone!), but really, you can't just totally tune your kids out while they bully other children! And I hear you on the skinny jeans! ;)
ReplyDeleteDude, my comment posted at 11:11 on 1/1/11. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteHmm, well the place I've taken the kids is relatively small. There wasn't really a place for parents to *be* except in the play area, but although I was in there I didn't want to interfere with Spike learning to take turns and whatnot. He did have to learn not to carjack the cozy coupes but he got there. But I don't want to be a helicopter either... there wasn't much to get truly hurt doing so it wasn't a real risk, you know?
ReplyDeleteWith the shiny-thing stealer kid, I would have told her that she could have a turn in a minute or something, and then enforced it. "Bay is playing with this toy and it's her turn, but you can have a turn in a minute!" Then in a minute, tell Bay it's the other little girl's turn and either let Bay watch or redirect if she's having trouble sharing or bored.