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I've never had a problem saying things to other people's kids when I felt a need. Now what I say and how I say it will be dictated by the type of issue and where we are.
For instance, in the OP's situation I would have actually addressed my own child quite loudly with..."Uh oh. You are going to have to watch out! That big kid is acting very dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt!" Then follow it up shortly with "We might have to leave if she keeps running wild." Then when the inevitable crash happened and the girl went hysterical I'd simply say...."That's what happens when you don't play safely. I'm so sorry you got hurt by her even though you were following the rules." No direct confrontation, but certainly making it clear what was going on and top it off with teaching my child right from wrong.
I've been known to be really nice and ask another child to please be careful. I've often warned kids about behavior with a firm tone. I've even been known to walk up to the big kid pushing on the slide and give them the evil eye while hissing at them to get down, now while mom is no where nearby.
I can't say I've ever directly said anything to a parent unless the child has gone to them to tattle on me. Then I simply explain.
I remember those years all too well. There almost always seems to be at least one child who is significantly bigger and more hyper-stimulated then the rest, sort of 'running' the playground. I would not hesitate to use a calm & friendly "mom" voice and offer up a non-confrontational "let's be careful, kids" warning when I saw things getting out of control.
If my daughter behaved in such an awful manner in public that another parent stepped in and scolded her I would be greatly shamed and apologetic for being so negligent. Unfortunately, a lot of parents today feel that children are subject to too many rules, and should be allowed more freedom to 'express" themselves. I totally disagree with that philosophy but hey - that's just me.
Unfortunately, a lot of parents today feel that children are subject to too many rules, and should be allowed more freedom to 'express" themselves. I totally disagree with that philosophy but hey - that's just me.
I actually agree with that statememt. However, they also need to learn there's a time and a place for everything. Outside in a park where there is more space, noone cares if they run around or even yell and scream. I would still insist that they are careful around other children so that their antics does translate in to someone getting hurt. They still need to learn ettiquette. Don't push someone else off of the swing just because you want it. Wait your turn on the slide. Those types of things.
The play zones I've seen are meant (and signed for) infants, toddlers and little people. You'd think the soft foam fruit and spinning, mirrored alphabet might give it away...but we see kids in the 8-10 range trampling all over the place. That was a big problem at the malls in FL and to a slightly lesser degree here...I've noticed the parents here tend to pay a little more attention, even if their kids are simply too old and big to be there.
(When I was that age I would have had no interest in playing in a baby zone. What's up with that, anyway?)
I remember those years all too well. There almost always seems to be at least one child who is significantly bigger and more hyper-stimulated then the rest, sort of 'running' the playground. I would not hesitate to use a calm & friendly "mom" voice and offer up a non-confrontational "let's be careful, kids" warning when I saw things getting out of control.
If my daughter behaved in such an awful manner in public that another parent stepped in and scolded her I would be greatly shamed and apologetic for being so negligent. Unfortunately, a lot of parents today feel that children are subject to too many rules, and should be allowed more freedom to 'express" themselves. I totally disagree with that philosophy but hey - that's just me.
I agree.
When a kid is wildly running around, creating an obvious safety hazard for other (often much smaller) children, the parent(s) of said kid are either totally oblivious and can't be bothered (too busy on the cell phone or blackberry) or they really don't give "a you know what". They figure they have just as much of a right to be there as you do and if you don't like it you can leave. That seems to be the mentality, anyway.
I was at the park one day and my 2 boys were playing pirates...they were running around the playground with their imaginary swords and guns pretending they were pirates. While they were playing a lady comes up to me and says.."will you tell your boys to stop shooting their guns" and I said they don't have guns...and she said "well, they are running around acting they they are shooting, my son does not play like that and I don't want him seeing that"(her boy was just standing their watching them) so I told her that they were just playing and I am not going to tell them to stop playing and that there were plenty of other playgrounds in the area and if she didn't like it she could leave! So she yelled at me that I needed to learn how to be a parent and grabbed her kid and literally drug him off the playground. I had all I could do to not not get in her face and tell her what I really thought...my boys were not putting anyone else in danger, they were the only kids besides her boy that were on the playground...she just didn't like WHAT they were playing but that is just an example how people parent differently...what is ok to one parent is not ok with another and it is not our job to tell another parent how to be a parent.
Stop the ruffian,parade him in front of every parent and loudly say, "Hey, is this your spoiled crotchfruit?"
Hahahahaha! I love it.
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