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Right at this very moment, I am sitting at one of those play places where the kids can eat (only the establishment’s food…no outside food allowed) then run and climb and go crazy. We came here specifically so the kids could go crazy at a place other than our house.
I brought my computer to take care of a few things, but couldn’t help but observe the dynamics of a place like this and write about them. After eating their lunch (kind of expensive for what you get, by the way), they were eager to get playing. It wasn’t ten minutes before a big boy (around 9) came up and told me that “your daughter (who’s 4 1/2) called me a nasty butt face!” As I’m dealing with this (while the woman sitting near us was laughing) I’m wondering why a boy his age wasn’t shaking this off. He came back later to tattle on both of my kids, claiming to be innocent of any infractions. As I watched, I saw this boy pushing and yelling and generally not being very nice to smaller kids around him. Hmmm…Funny how he can act inappropriately, but he’s all about telling on others. Now, I know my kids aren’t always angels. I am not one of those mothers who think their children can do no wrong. However, in this case, I must defend them and their actions. They are getting along great with everyone else. Oh, by the way, when that boy left he told my son that he’d “be back to finish him off.” Nice.
Another dynamic is the one that surrounds the adults who have brought their kids. The Helicopter parents are all over their kids. They want them to play, but will hardly let them climb on anything without following them through the equipment. Others are the total opposite. They are hands- (and eyes) off. They pay no attention to what their children might be doing. These seem to be the kids who are not being very nice to others. And before you say that I’m working on this blog post and not paying attention, you’re wrong. I waited until the crowd thinned and I am keeping close track…it can be done. There are also clusters of parents who come so their kids can play and they can talk. Now, there is nothing wrong with this, in fact I encourage it. But, there is still some supervision that needs to take place, people! And those of you who bring kids who are way too big and too old to be here (you know who you are)…stop! This is a place for younger kids to play safely.
O.K. My rant is over. My kids and I will now make our way through the forest of minivans and SUVs to our car and go home to rest!
