↑

Modern Mom Life

Kids activities, family fun, and more!

  • Kids Activities
    • Crafts
      • Disney Crafts
      • Holiday Crafts
        • Christmas crafts
        • Easter Crafts
        • Halloween Crafts
        • Mardi Gras Crafts
        • Thanksgiving Crafts
        • Valentine’s Day Crafts
      • Mason Jar Crafts
    • Coloring Pages
    • Kids games
      • Bingo
      • Holiday Games
        • Christmas games
        • Easter Games
        • Halloween Games
        • Mardi Gras Games
        • Thanksgiving Games
        • Valentine’s Day Games
      • Scavenger Hunts
      • Toys for Kids
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Disney Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Game Day
    • Holiday
      • Christmas Recipes
      • Easter Recipes
      • Halloween Recipes
      • New Year’s Recipes
      • Thanksgiving Recipes
      • Valentine’s Day Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Keto recipes
    • Side dishes
    • Slow Cooker
  • Printables
    • Games for Kids
    • Gift Tags
    • Holiday
      • Christmas Printables
      • Easter Printables
      • Halloween Printables
      • New Year’s Eve Printables
      • St. Patrick’s Day Printables
      • Thanksgiving Printables
      • Valentine’s Day Printables
    • Organization & Cleaning
    • Planners & Calendars
    • School
      • Homeschool
  • Shop
    • MML Shop
    • LikeToKnowIt
    • Amazon Picks
  • About
    • Meet Michelle
    • Contact
      • PR/Advertise
    • Featured
      • Texas Today
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Copyright
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy

Is Playground Etiquette Dead?

Parenting

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

There is nothing more frustrating than going to a park with your family on a beautiful spring day to find that you will later leave the playground feeling exhausted, beat down and simply annoyed by other parents and their children due to the lack of playground etiquette.

Listen, I am not perfect by any means especially in the parenting realm.  My vice is being too connected to my phone and social media. Sometimes I need to put down the phone and simply disconnect. I remind myself countless times that I do not need to video or document every waking moment in my child’s life. It’s hard to do but I work hard to put down all distractions when I take my family to any playground. Sure, I snap a few photos here and there, but that is where I stop.

Toddler's Prayers

It’s not unusual to see a parent or two sitting on the bench while their kids run wild. It’s also not unusual to see parents chatting it up with other adults unaware that their child is about to fall off the monkey bars. I can handle that.

What I can’t handle is a parent that decides to stay inside her parked car to play on her phone instead of playing with her three children at the park nearby. My recent experience at the playground makes me want to write a playground etiquette guide that all parents and caregivers are required to read, but not at the park.

A story about a playground etiquette fail

playground etiquette

 

As I walked up to the park with my energetic two-year-old daughter, a group of kids ran towards us like a herd of horses so excited to see us. I turn around looking for their parents and I see their mom smiling and waving towards me. She approves, but will she get out of her car to play with us all? God knows I can barely handle my own child, but now I am the adult supervisor of the park. My husband is also with me, but we brought our dog so they are busy throwing frisbees nearby.

The youngest child was so excited to play with someone other than his siblings. “Can she play?,” he asked.

“Of course!” I replied.

Reese played for a bit before all she wanted to do was go watch her daddy throw the frisbee with our dog. Not a big deal until all the kids followed us and again the mom did not lift a finger to get out of her car. I felt weird with my dog playing with other children unsupervised. I would think she would have felt the same, but again all I could see was the side of her head looking down at her phone while her children went along with strangers.

What if we were psychos? What if our dog was a crazy wild beast? What if you looked down and looked back up and we were ALL gone? That is the unfortunate reality of our society.

At this point, my daughter wanted to fly her new kite. I knew this was going to start a fight among 4 kids. Who doesn’t want to fly a kite? The oldest kid said they had never flown one.

Not surprised one bit given the lack of parental involvement I was witnessing.

The kite was going haywire, my dog was barking, kids were running and mass hysteria broke out.

“Can it be my turn now?”

“Can I pet your dog?”

“One more time!”

From a distance, I heard their mom yelling from the car. “Kids,” she yelled. “We need to go!”

“Awe!” they replied in unison and walked back to her car reluctantly.

I felt bad for them. They were having fun and we could have continued to have fun if she had got out and helped us maintain order. But that did not happen.

Off they went, leaving behind a broken kite, excited dog, and two mentally drained adults.

I didn’t know how to feel in that moment. I felt many emotions:

Sadness because these kids obviously wanted the attention of an adult. Instead the mom left the oldest in charge who clung to my side the moment I stepped foot on the playground. She needed attention. I also felt relieved that they left and now I could have some one-on-one time with my daughter without distraction.

I was angry that the mom couldn’t step out of her car to join us, to be a part of this beautiful Spring day with her children that so desperately wanted to play. Heck, maybe we would have gotten along or related to one another in some way, but I will never know.

I pray that maybe the mom was having an ‘off’ day and just needed a moment to collect herself. We all need a break from parenting to keep sane, but the playground is not that place.

With that being said, I think the most annoying parent at the playground is the parent that is there physically but isn’t present in the moment.

I can handle the over bearing parent that won’t give his or her children distance, but I will not understand the parent that leaves it to other people – complete strangers – to watch and play with their children when they are capable of doing so themselves.

Playground Etiquette

Parents of the park, I beg of you to get off your ass and phones to be present with your children. Don’t leave this responsibility to others.

This is time that you can never get back.

Our children need us now. As they grow older they will not want to play with us.

Your phone will be there for you when you are old and wrinkly at the retirement home. You will wish you could go back to being that exhausted parent at the playground trying to keep up with your rowdy kids.

What do you think about playground etiquette? Can you describe a moment that you lacked parental involvement in public?  What rules would you include in a playground etiquette guide?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

By Michelle Hancock | April 18, 2016

Meet Michelle

Dallas Blogger 

 Hi, I’m Michelle. My mission is to help moms believe in themselves through realistic parenting hacks that make life with kids easier and more fun!



Follow On Instagram

@modernmomlife
Spring break is here for many! Are your kids sayin Spring break is here for many! Are your kids saying, "I'm Bored!" already? It's time to make a Spring Boredom Busters Jar. Complete with 24 easy and fun activities for kids, this jar is fun to have around the house when you hear those dreaded words. Activities include indoor and outdoor boredom busters. Get the printables and instructions now on ModernMomLife.com or head to link in profile. #KidsActivities #BoredomBusters #SpringFun #SpringBreak #FunMom #ModernMomLife #FreePrintables #FamilyFun #Crafts
📣 FRIDAY 50% OFF SALE on the ultimate Memory Bo 📣 FRIDAY 50% OFF SALE on the ultimate Memory Box Bundle set. 📣  💻 Use code MEMORYBOXIGSALE at checkout in the MML Shop or use the link in the profile and it will automatically be applied at checkout! (Head to story or link in profile to shop)  Make a DIY school memory box kit to keep your child's artwork, school work, photos, and more! This printable bundle includes many different versions to match your child's style! This home filing system will organize your kids' schoolwork in an effective and clever way.  PURCHASE INCLUDES: Memory Box File Tabs - 4 different designs of folder tabs (Baby to 12th grade) on 2 PDFs My Memory Box Cover - 6 designs on 6 PDFs All About Me Printable - 5 designs on 5 PDFs  This bundle only includes DIGITAL PRINTABLES. It does not include the box, vinyl, or folding files.  #Organization #MemoryBoxes #KidsSchoolWork #GetOrganized #Declutter #DIYProjects #KidsActivities #ModernMomLife #MomLife
🎬Eeek! Today I filmed a segment with Texas Toda 🎬Eeek! Today I filmed a segment with Texas Today about fun Spring activities for kids!  📺 Should air within two weeks. Stay tuned for the air date. Thank you, @nbctexastoday @rossiramirez_ for inviting me on the show. It was so much fun! Everyone at Texas Today was so friendly and welcoming!  Texas Today airs weekdays at 11:30 am on @nbcdfw.  #DallasMomBlogger #texastoday #nbc5dfw #DallasMom #boredombusters #kidsactivities
Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with this delicious Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with this delicious and easy to make Cat in the Hat Fruit Kabobs!  Which Dr. Seuss book or quote is your favorite?  Head to ModernMomLife.com for recipe or head to link in profile for recipe!  #ReadAcrossAmericaDay #DrSeuss #DrSeussDay #CatintheHat
AD: Looking for easy Air Fryer recipes? We love to AD: Looking for easy Air Fryer recipes? We love to cook nuggets in ours. It's incredibly easy and tastes amazing. Find out how to make plant-based Air Fryer nuggets in minutes. Delicious and crispy, Raised & Rooted™ Plant-Based Nuggets can be easily found at #Target Serve with your favorite sauce to serve as a quick meal or snack. Head to ModernMomLife.com for the recipe and Target Circle Offer information. #RaisedAndRooted #TysonFoods https://lnk2.io/wCmhGSX
🎉 GIVEAWAY CLOSED 🎉  Giving away The Cro 🎉 GIVEAWAY CLOSED 🎉  Giving away The Croods: A New Age Blu-Ray + DVD+ Digital Code!  To enter:
1️⃣  Like this photo
2️⃣  Follow @thecroods & @ModernMomLife 
3️⃣  Tag a friend in the comments (1 comment = 1 entry)  One winner will be selected on 3/1. Good luck!  Offer valid to US residents only. This is not affiliated with Instagram.  ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨   THE CROODS: A NEW AGE is coming available on Blu-ray/DVD now! It's great family family fun!  #CroodsNewAge #FamilyFun #KidsActivities #MoviesforKids #TheCroods #movienightathome

About.

  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • PR/Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Contact

Connect.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Categories.

  • Cleaning
  • Organization
  • St. Patrick’s Day
  • Easter
Spring break is here for many! Are your kids sayin Spring break is here for many! Are your kids saying, "I'm Bored!" already? It's time to make a Spring Boredom Busters Jar. Complete with 24 easy and fun activities for kids, this jar is fun to have around the house when you hear those dreaded words. Activities include indoor and outdoor boredom busters. Get the printables and instructions now on ModernMomLife.com or head to link in profile. #KidsActivities #BoredomBusters #SpringFun #SpringBreak #FunMom #ModernMomLife #FreePrintables #FamilyFun #Crafts
📣 FRIDAY 50% OFF SALE on the ultimate Memory Bo 📣 FRIDAY 50% OFF SALE on the ultimate Memory Box Bundle set. 📣  💻 Use code MEMORYBOXIGSALE at checkout in the MML Shop or use the link in the profile and it will automatically be applied at checkout! (Head to story or link in profile to shop)  Make a DIY school memory box kit to keep your child's artwork, school work, photos, and more! This printable bundle includes many different versions to match your child's style! This home filing system will organize your kids' schoolwork in an effective and clever way.  PURCHASE INCLUDES: Memory Box File Tabs - 4 different designs of folder tabs (Baby to 12th grade) on 2 PDFs My Memory Box Cover - 6 designs on 6 PDFs All About Me Printable - 5 designs on 5 PDFs  This bundle only includes DIGITAL PRINTABLES. It does not include the box, vinyl, or folding files.  #Organization #MemoryBoxes #KidsSchoolWork #GetOrganized #Declutter #DIYProjects #KidsActivities #ModernMomLife #MomLife
🎬Eeek! Today I filmed a segment with Texas Toda 🎬Eeek! Today I filmed a segment with Texas Today about fun Spring activities for kids!  📺 Should air within two weeks. Stay tuned for the air date. Thank you, @nbctexastoday @rossiramirez_ for inviting me on the show. It was so much fun! Everyone at Texas Today was so friendly and welcoming!  Texas Today airs weekdays at 11:30 am on @nbcdfw.  #DallasMomBlogger #texastoday #nbc5dfw #DallasMom #boredombusters #kidsactivities
Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with this delicious Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with this delicious and easy to make Cat in the Hat Fruit Kabobs!  Which Dr. Seuss book or quote is your favorite?  Head to ModernMomLife.com for recipe or head to link in profile for recipe!  #ReadAcrossAmericaDay #DrSeuss #DrSeussDay #CatintheHat
AD: Looking for easy Air Fryer recipes? We love to AD: Looking for easy Air Fryer recipes? We love to cook nuggets in ours. It's incredibly easy and tastes amazing. Find out how to make plant-based Air Fryer nuggets in minutes. Delicious and crispy, Raised & Rooted™ Plant-Based Nuggets can be easily found at #Target Serve with your favorite sauce to serve as a quick meal or snack. Head to ModernMomLife.com for the recipe and Target Circle Offer information. #RaisedAndRooted #TysonFoods https://lnk2.io/wCmhGSX
🎉 GIVEAWAY CLOSED 🎉  Giving away The Cro 🎉 GIVEAWAY CLOSED 🎉  Giving away The Croods: A New Age Blu-Ray + DVD+ Digital Code!  To enter:
1️⃣  Like this photo
2️⃣  Follow @thecroods & @ModernMomLife 
3️⃣  Tag a friend in the comments (1 comment = 1 entry)  One winner will be selected on 3/1. Good luck!  Offer valid to US residents only. This is not affiliated with Instagram.  ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨   THE CROODS: A NEW AGE is coming available on Blu-ray/DVD now! It's great family family fun!  #CroodsNewAge #FamilyFun #KidsActivities #MoviesforKids #TheCroods #movienightathome
Copyright ©2021, Modern Mom Life, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE & REWARD STYLE MEMBER, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.
Design by Pixel Me Designs
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT