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I really want to have a conversation with any of you who regularly take kids to city parks. I have been having so really bad experiences at parks lately. Most recently there were a bunch of big kids roughhousing at the park with a bunch of little girls trying to play. One of the boys was punching and abusing his brother, which infuriated me. He was probably 12, playing way too rough, then when his brother was crying he punched him hard and spoke to him in such an abusive horrible manner.
I knew he had to have a parent around somewhere, but I was just so upset that I wanted to march over to him and whisper to him that if I saw him hit his brother one more time I would call the police. How does this child have any impressive that this behavior is allowed? I was so disturbed by his behavior that I almost didn't care if his mother did take offense.
At one point his mother appeared and collected he and his brother, yelling at them to hurry up because they were late. Half an hour later he and the same bunch of big kids were terrorizing the "Age Five & Under" playground next door. I just wanted to shake his mother so badly. One good, accidental bump and one of those tiny kids, who have very little balance, could be seriously injured.
I never said anything to this boy, but I did warn our little one to steer very clear of him and the other big kids he was playing tag with. I am curious, how do other parents handle the public parks? Do you avoid certain parks? Times of day? Do you just leave if there are rough kids rushing around? How do you intervene when you feel you need to?
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