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sorry everyone i've just got to rant! we live in a pretty small town and there really isn't much for children (or teens) to do around here so it seems that everyone flocks to the large playground nearby. the problem is the little ones can't enjoy themselves there because it's packed with foul mouthed dirty minded disgusting little teenagers! they'll be atleast 30 of them "hanging out" on the slides, the swings, monkeybars, not doing nothing but blocking the children from actually playing there. the 12 year old little girls walking around in outfits i'm sure there fathers wouldnt be proud of and the horny little boys who talk about how they're tryin to "hit that." now i am not that old....25, and i do remember being that age, cursing, acting out, etc but jeeeeez i must have heard the "f word" a thousand times in the hour that i was there (not that i'm a saint or never curse but i try really hard to watch my mouth in front of the 2 year old) it's a shame i can't bring my lil boy to the playground and us enjoy ourselves.....guess i'll be getting one of those backyard playgrounds!
Your kids will learn to deal with this. If they don't hear language like that at home, they will either not use it themselves, or learn to not use it in inappropriate times and places. Make sure the only language they hear at home is good and proper English. So what if they grow up "bilingual"?
Playground equipment is overrated and the novelty wears off pretty fast. Find other ways for them to play, and other places to do it. How many "little ones" are you talking about?
Yes, don't you know that you need to expose your two year old to dirty language in order to learn to "deal" with it? /sarcasm
I'd be avoiding that park, and my kids are 8 and 6. This time of year all of the schooled kids are at the playgrounds, and we tend to try to find other things to do. (We homeschool, so we can use the parks any time we want throughout the year.)
Is it any better in the early mornings? I notice that at the parks near us, there's no one there until about 10:00, then it gradually gets busier and busier until about 1:00, when most of the littles leave for naptime. It's mostly big kids in the afternoon.
A disapproving look or a "Excuse me, he's trying to go down the slide" works well for one or two surly teens, but I don't know that I'd be going up against 20 of them with my toddler in tow. You could also try calling the parks and rec department to see if they have any suggestions or a plan of action.
You'll have your playground back in a couple of months when the schools open again.
i have one little boy, he's 2. and yes i can't WAIT for them to go back to school so we can actually go and play at the playground sadly we won't have much time til it gets cold outside. i just wish they would go hang out at the basketball court or something instead of sitting around on the playground equiptment blocking the children who actually want to play there. i'm gonna get him a little pool so we can have fun in the backyard for the meantime.
Have you tried asking them if they can move so your son can use the slide? They may not be the monsters you imagine them to be. They are probably just regular kids who don't think about how their actions affect others (like most kids).
Teenagers are not the monsters most parents of young kids think they are. My guess is that if you asked nicely they would move. Why not try it?
i seriously don't think MOST of these kids are "nice." (im sure there are a few) if they are 14 15 years old, smoking and cursing in front of adults i don't think they have any respect for them you know what i mean? i don't call police, unless it was something serious. i mean they're really not doing anything illegal.........just gettin on my nerves, lol!
i seriously don't think MOST of these kids are "nice." (im sure there are a few) if they are 14 15 years old, smoking and cursing in front of adults i don't think they have any respect for them you know what i mean? i don't call police, unless it was something serious. i mean they're really not doing anything illegal.........just gettin on my nerves, lol!
Why not see what happens if you just ask if your son could use the playground equipment?
Most people's assumptions about teenagers are way off base.
I'm going to agree that kids that age try and look tough, but in general, if asked nicely, I would be surprised if they didn't get out of the kids way.
The smoking doesn't make them extra mean - just extra ignorant and trying to look cool. If they were 18 or 19 I would think differently about saying something maybe. But 14, 15, 16....wouldn't be that big a deal. Like someone else mentioned, kids that age are obtuse. They probably don't even realize what they are doing.
As far as the language thing...well, it's unfortunate but seems to come with the territory. And same thing applies - they don't have that adult mind that tells them doing that around little ones isn't okay.
Another vote with just asking the kids....nicely, not judgementally....Agree that most young teenagers really are clueless with respect that their actions/words are not "invisible" to others not in their immediate group....
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