Dear overly involved mother at the park

JOEBunny

Please focus on your own child's behavior and leave mine alone.  I am sitting on the bench because my children play nicely.  My DD is perfectly capable of managing the play structure and other children without me standing over her.  My son can get in and out of a cozy coop on his own, than you.  Please leave him alone and let him do what I brought him here to do, work on his gross motor skills.  I am 20 yards away and if I feel he needs assistance, I will assist him.  My 4 year old is perfectly capable of pushing DS around a 300 foot concrete circle in said cozy coop without you standing over her and asking "where is your mother?" because I am not up my child's a$$.

Meanwhile, your son, who you felt the need to tell me "plays well with others and is a kind, gentle, sweet child," pushed my 14 month old in the plastic house and another child a minute later, while you were being a busy body with everyone else's kids.  Nobody else's kids where pushing. 

Oh and thank you to the kind nanny, who told DS not to climb out of the window of the plastic house.  I had my eye on him and was about to get up and help him, but she was right there with her charge and gently told him no-no, since he was doing something that was actually dangerous.  I appreciate it and I would have done the same for you.

 

Rebekah1021

I would love to go to the park with you. I let DD play and only intervene when she's hurt or stuck. We would get along famously.

Emiliana7

I'm a hover-er I have to admit- but I don't mess with or say anything to anyone else's kids unless it is dangerous- and I mean more than a little fall. I believe some trips and falls are 'good' for the kids and helps them learn.

I've had a mom say something kind of mean to me because I let DD fall and was right there. (was a mulch playground area- DD didn't even get a scratch)

 

grja

I tend to be a hover-er as well. But i would never say anything to anyone else (kid, parent, nanny, whoever). I'm there to watch my kids. I don't understand why people feel the need to but in.

buffalo_buckeye

I met this mom the other day at my park. She seriously was up her kids butts the entire time. The first words out of her mouth were "Dd you need to sit facing this way to build your sandcastle in the sand because the sun will be too bright if you sit in this direction". The poor child hadn't even sat down yet. And every.single.thing out of her mouth was a "lesson". She went on to tell me that she was having a difficult time adjusting to the area and making friends, and that playgroups were not for her because she "actually plays with her kids". She also told me within the first 2 minutes of talking that her husband is a Dr and she has her PhD and her 3 year old is extremely smart and is already reading. All possible just felt bad for her that she felt the need to prove herself to a stranger.

Ciarrai

OMG.  I can't stand those moms.  (Sorry if you are one.)  I'm the neglectful mom who sits on a bench and chats with her friend ::gasp:: while our children - ages 1-4 - play on the equipment "by themselves" (with us watching).  DS is next to us in the stroller, of course, and we intervene when the 1-year-old eats too many wood chips or is climbing the rope ladder, but other than that...  I know what my kids can and can't do.  I'll intervene if I think I need to, but mostly they're there to play and interact and learn to act independently and play with their friends.  Beyond that, my kids hate it when I hover.  They'd rather explore and learn on their own in situations like the park. 

Mrs Manners

Ciarrai:

OMG.  I can't stand those moms.  (Sorry if you are one.)  I'm the neglectful mom who sits on a bench and chats with her friend ::gasp:: while our children - ages 1-4 - play on the equipment "by themselves" (with us watching).  DS is next to us in the stroller, of course, and we intervene when the 1-year-old eats too many wood chips or is climbing the rope ladder, but other than that...  I know what my kids can and can't do.  I'll intervene if I think I need to, but mostly they're there to play and interact and learn to act independently and play with their friends.  Beyond that, my kids hate it when I hover.  They'd rather explore and learn on their own in situations like the park. 

This exactly! My MIL has been here all week and she's into hovering. It drives me CRAZY. He's fine. He falls 1000 times per day. He gets wet. He gets dirty. He eats dirt. He picks up worms. He's a boy....leave him alone and let him explore.