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r_scribblesA very 'nice and sunny day', in the words of my daughter. The S-i-L was down for the morning so accompanied us to Playgym and then we had a playdate in the park with my friend who moved away before Christmas, and her twins. These are the ones who call Vi 'Captain Violet'. They are fearless and adorable. We kicked a ball about, the tots gazed in wonder at the fountain (Vi shouting 'Wet! Wet! Drip-drops!' all the time) and then made a bee-line for the bandstand, which they then couldn't be persuaded to leave. Lots of running about in it, kicking the ball around it, clambering up it and carrying things up and down its steps.
Then came an occurrence that I wouldn't have minded if it didn't happen to me or whoever takes Vi to the park pretty much every time we go - the latching on of the Idleness Orphans. Almost every time we play with Vi in the park, we will be quickly joined by somebody else's kid - two of them in this case, one about 4 or 5 and one who was probably about 1 and 1/2 - who, more than wanting to play with Vi, demand attention and care from me while whatever 'grownup' is supposed to have taken them out to the park sits barely within visibility and utterly ignores them. I'm happy for Vi to play with other kids and it's probably flattering that I'm apparently approachable, but I really fucking resent having the children of strangers foisted upon me simply because I take an active interest in playing with Vi when we're out. Plus I think it's incredibly sad for the kids that they have to latch on to any old passer-by for conversation and play. Whenever this happens, the parents never stop doing whatever it is that they're doing instead of paying attention to their kids (in this case, sitting around chatting with their mates) either to play with their children or to strike up the briefest of conversations with me, check I'm not a nutter (which I'm not) or whether I mind nannying their kids (which I do). I'm a complete stranger. I know they can see me, but I can't believe there are people so lazy they'd let their toddler run off and play with someone they don't know from Adam, rather than playing with or engaging the kids themselves.
I just think it's incredibly rude. We had our hands full as it was with three hyper two year olds pegging it around a grubby bandstand, plus we barely get to see these friends and I ended up talking more with the kids of these strangers than I did with my friend or her cutie girls. And it happens with a depressing regularity.
I am not Mary Poppins. Just because I like to play with my kid doesn't mean I want to nanny yours. Lazy Parents Of Britain: GET OFF YOUR ARSES, PUT DOWN THAT COPY OF HEAT AND ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY GROW UP AND UTTERLY RESENT YOU! ARGH!!!
Then came an occurrence that I wouldn't have minded if it didn't happen to me or whoever takes Vi to the park pretty much every time we go - the latching on of the Idleness Orphans. Almost every time we play with Vi in the park, we will be quickly joined by somebody else's kid - two of them in this case, one about 4 or 5 and one who was probably about 1 and 1/2 - who, more than wanting to play with Vi, demand attention and care from me while whatever 'grownup' is supposed to have taken them out to the park sits barely within visibility and utterly ignores them. I'm happy for Vi to play with other kids and it's probably flattering that I'm apparently approachable, but I really fucking resent having the children of strangers foisted upon me simply because I take an active interest in playing with Vi when we're out. Plus I think it's incredibly sad for the kids that they have to latch on to any old passer-by for conversation and play. Whenever this happens, the parents never stop doing whatever it is that they're doing instead of paying attention to their kids (in this case, sitting around chatting with their mates) either to play with their children or to strike up the briefest of conversations with me, check I'm not a nutter (which I'm not) or whether I mind nannying their kids (which I do). I'm a complete stranger. I know they can see me, but I can't believe there are people so lazy they'd let their toddler run off and play with someone they don't know from Adam, rather than playing with or engaging the kids themselves.
I just think it's incredibly rude. We had our hands full as it was with three hyper two year olds pegging it around a grubby bandstand, plus we barely get to see these friends and I ended up talking more with the kids of these strangers than I did with my friend or her cutie girls. And it happens with a depressing regularity.
I am not Mary Poppins. Just because I like to play with my kid doesn't mean I want to nanny yours. Lazy Parents Of Britain: GET OFF YOUR ARSES, PUT DOWN THAT COPY OF HEAT AND ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY GROW UP AND UTTERLY RESENT YOU! ARGH!!!
