One of my favourite things about being a mom is going to the park with my boys. I don't need an excuse to sit on a swing again, and I love to laugh along with my boys as I push them higher and higher and higher... and playing in the sand and watching my children go down the slide - it's so much fun!
It's great, too, because all that playing totally tires them out and that means they're ready for bed by the time we get home!
It's also fun to socialize with other parents from the neighbourhood - talking about our children, the weather, the long winter, whatever - I enjoy it.
But sometimes, the strangest things also happen at the park...
Last week, these 2 boys who were probably 5 or 6 years old ran right up to Christos, nearly knocking him down, and stared hissing at him! Like: "Hisssssssssssssss" and they kept doing this, over and over again. "Hisssssss..." I was a little freaked out, as was my son, who started walking towards me, losing a Croc on the way. One of the 'hissing' boys picked up the Croc and started walking away with it. Christos and I were both like, "Um, what the..." and then I asked for my son's shoe back. And then, what did they do? They started hissing again! What is that? Is that some new game kids are playing at school now? Because it seemed strange to me, and to my son. I politely said "He doesn't want to play with you right now" and they ran off, and started hissing at another child, a little girl who was probably just under 2 years old... just as she was coming down the slide: "Hissssssss..." they said loudly to her, as she ran away, startled and crying, into her mom's arms.
Isn't that just so... bizarre?
Another thing that I find annoying at the park is when my boys are playing with their shovels, pails, and trucks, and another child will come, pick up one of their toys, and run away with it, to go play somewhere else.
I don't expect my little boy to go get it back on his own - of course, I am there to help. And of course, when other children are nice and ask to play with the toys my children have brought to the park - of course I say yes. Or, rather, Christos says yes. But seriously, kids that just act as if what we've brought to the park is theirs to take? I'm not a fan of that. Manners, people! As a mom, I teach my child how to behave in public. And sure, he is only 3 and a half, and sure, he has temper tantrums, but still - I try to teach him to share, and he knows better than to just take another child's belongings!
I want to hear your park tales - I'm sure you all have some memorable park story to share!
Comments
Otherwise, we always have a great time at the park ;)
My park pet peeve is older kids playing on playground equipment designed for pre-schoolers! Come on, emos, don't you have some weed to smoke or school property to deface or something!?!?!
This one time, these older boys (maybe 9, 10 years old) were spitting at the park. Like trying to spit on eachother and thinking it was hysterical... until one of them accidentally spit on ME. I really let them have it and afterwards felt like such a b*tch, because hey, they're probably just boys being boys (What do I know, I was never a 10 year old boy!) but GROSS, MAN!
Modern Mom, that has happened to me too - kids running up to me to eat my children's snacks... why don't parents come prepared?
I don't have any park tales yet, as my daughter is only 9 months, but I'm sure I'll plenty in the future!
At Max's birthday party at the park a couple of weeks ago a little boy came up and helped himself to one of the birthday cupcakes. The grandmother looked mortified but didn't say anything. I think it might have been a language barrier though. But the little boy seemed pretty happy to have a cupcake!