Just Sayin'

One of my biggest pet peeves is something that we have to deal with nearly every time I/we take Jude to playground or playgroup or children's museum, etc.  Older kids with absolutely no awareness of the little ones that are occupying the same general space as them.  Fist off, if you have older children, keep them out of the toddler lot.  It's a TODDLER lot, not a big kid lot so under most circumstances, they don't belong on the tiny toys (even if the playground has both big kid toys and little kids toys, direct them toward the appropriately sized ones).  This also goes for most of the play groups, they have age limits for a reason, big brother wasn't invited.  As for places like children's museums and play centers... really, they're also aimed at younger children.  Let's be honest with ourselves here.  If you're child is big enough to be severely misusing the toys and centers provided, like standing on top of counters, trying to squeeze their too large head into an itty bitty wizards hat, being unable to close the door on a riding car (because it's built for a two year old not a ten year old), or playing a game of catch with fake fruit rather than pretending to buy it, then take them somewhere else.  Just because you're too lazy to update your list of age appropriate play options doesn't mean my two and a half year old should have to suffer the consequences.

Oh, and this goes double for the mall play centers, the ones with POSTED height restrictions and toys that are so basic I can't imagine why you think school aged child would even find any challenge to them.  When I see kid of five foot two go flying OVER the head of a toddler as they jump from one bubbly car to the next.... there's something seriously wrong with that picture.  Those are children that need to be at a real park, with big kid slides and such, or at a gym playing basket ball or something.  Take them to a field to play tag, or give them a soccer ball to kick around, anywhere but the mall play center.

There are exceptions to these miscreants, these big ol' cyclones of energy that leave destruction and chaos in their wake.  I've witnessed some old children really take the time to interact with the younger ones, play in their games, help them up the ladder to the slide, and just be genuinely nice and thoughtful of the smaller people around them.  I LOVE these kids.  I want to hug them and pat their little well behaved heads.  They seem to be aware that they are not only sharing the play space, but are in a way borrowing it from the smaller children, they're guests and they act with respect.  So if you want to teach your child to be THAT kid, by all means, bring them to the toddler park, but otherwise, keep them away.  When it comes to my little boy, with his polite manners and carefully actions, the little guy who will actually stop and go around another kid if they're in his way instead of pushing past them or bowling over them, if your big kid hurts him or takes something from him I will not hesitate to put them in their place... which usually puts you on the spot for your lack of attention to your own child's actions... and the fact that they act that way at all when they should know better... which makes you look like an idiot.  Just sayin'.