Manners and playground ettiquite.

GGGRR, this morning since it is sooo horrible here in Palmy we decided that we would take PAris and Ayja to lollipops. well so did half of palmy. and to make it worse there were 4 birthday parties going on.. all for children 5, 6 and even 8 yrs old. Which ihave no problems with but feel that maybe that is getting a little old for such a place in some ways.

Anyway, we have always taught our kids, up the steps, down the slide, no climbing up the slide, take turns, wait in line.. all that stuff that is just courtesy and necessary for them to grow up and actually be worthwhile nice human beings.

I got so angry while we were there, at the lack of parental input, or at least the lack of manners most of these kids had. And i am glad mike was there cos he tells it straight. not nasty, just, not always nicely. lol

Here are these little kiddies, ending up being relegated to the namby pamby baby stuff, because all the big rough kids are rushing everywhere, pushing in line, I got so angry we nearly left for a minute. Mike was helping paris up some step things up to the largest slide.. whichis a big thing, last time we went some of you Palmy ladies will remember we couldn't even get her near the main playground.

he had all these 7 yr old girls just bungling up behind him, he kept helping paris (it's those layer thingies like trampoline material that go up in layers and you climb thru a hole in each one) they still kept pushing, climbing up over mikes' legs, and pretty much squishing him, so he asked nicely, stop that, please wait, my little girl gets a bit scared.. nope they didn't listen kept going, so he stopped, right in the way, and left PAris to go up herself and said "right, now you can wait" and wouldn't move. Once paris was up the top he caught up to her, i was waiting at the end of the slide and she came down, he came down and these girls were right behindhim, all of them in a line, and ended up bowling paris over so she landed off the slide upside down headfirst. GGRRR i was so angry. and we had a few things like that, where we would be helping paris, or even ayja, and kids would just push past, barge in, push them over to get in front. Some even with Parent's watching and parents did nothing. lol, one kids did this when paris was trying to climb a rope ladder, he just barge up between us and nearly knocked her off. His mum said nothing, Paris looked at me a bit scared and i said "oh, how rude, that wasn't nice for him to do that, someone needs to teach him to take turns!" lol. mum didn't look too happy.

I know it's exciting and kids can be silly.. but come on. Am i the only one who expects others to teach their kids a little courtesy and kindness. Some people ruin it for others in life. I don't want to teach my girls that they should put up with that crap just so they have manners, but theres no way i want them ending up rude little... like half the kids that were there today.   I'm trying to teach them to be fair but firm.. and have since told paris next time someone does that to stay with what she's doing and tell them they are rude to push in and should take turns. Probably won't do much but at least I'm teaching her to stick up for herself without resorting to violence.

sorry just had to vent.

That stuff really annoys me! My girlfirned used to work at Lollipops in Palmy and when I asked her about them letting the big kids in the baby area, she said that the staff are supposed bto tell the kids off when they get unruly, but I have never actually seen it.

i would've been really annoyed too! What really riles me is the parents reactions. Half of them, well, a lot of them, won't say anything about their obnoxious chiuldren. My kids can be annoying at times, but i try and discipline them at the same time - you know "Jake, we have to take turns on the slide, lets wait until Keira is finished" etc.

Next time, complain to the staff manager!

I totally agree with you, we were bought up reasonably strict but we all have manners and respect for others, something that is very noticably missing these days in young children across the board. Very disapointing!

it is annoying but in the end we can only teach our own children to have manners and be the best they can be. i try and encourage turn taking, and good playground manners and will say to other children "please wait your turn" or "dont push, its not nice". and if big kids are in the small kids area i dont hesitate to tell them they are too big and to leave.

Yip! same thing happens all the time at chipmunks in the mount!! but im not so nice when it comes to rude little kids (ones that are old enough to comprehend!) they certainly get the rough word from me! (not over the top though!) and then i march them over to their parents and let them know all about it too!!! especially when they push my son off from a great height! and they were too big to be on there in the first place!!

It is really annoying. I think it is something that has declined over the years though. Like going through doors - as a kid I never pushed in front of adults when they were going through doors, yet I would stop pretty much every child at school from doing that. ANd interupting conversations between adults is another one - so many kids are so used to their needs being met at the expense of everyone else that they have no understanding of how to wait for even a break in the conversation before demanding something!

As a parent of an 8 year old I could not imagine Brooke pushing in front of an adult nor a little kid, as you said it starts at home. I also have a 13 year old whom I must admit not often but I have had to tell him to wait for an adult to go thru the door before him but most times the adult turns around and tells him to go first so defeats the lesson to be taught.
I do beleive when children go to school (or even kindy) they learn habits that are not so desirable and once again up to us parents to make sure it doesn't stick around for long.
I always get comments on how well behaved my kids are and that they are lovely kids - which makes all the hard work of motherhood worth while. So unfortuantely you can't do much about the other kids (although I am with your hubby I am forever telling other kids 'in a nice way' what I think) Just make sure that your kids are the ones other parents are thinking 'how does she get the to behave so well' You'll be proud as punch as I am.