Saturday
La Cienega Park, Beverly Hills, CA
At this park, there is an unspoken rule that other kids can play with your kid’s toys if left unattended in the sand area. If your child does play with someone else’s toys, the toys should not be moved from where they were or taken to another location. Generally, everyone abides by this rule and respects each other’s toys. However, there have been recent incidents that have occurred that just boggles the mind, where the nanny/parent just allows the child to take the toys that are not his/hers. My 20 month son has had numerous shovels and buckets (sand toys) missing from the sand area and it is sad that now we are reluctant to share or take our toys to the park anymore. We leave the toys in the sand and go onto the grass area and feed my son lunch and when we come back, the toys are gone! I just don’t understand adults who clearly see that the toy that the child is holding or is taking home either did not bring or does not belong to the child – and does not bother to give back or leave it where they found it! So annoying and stupid! It ruins it for everyone else who is willing to share their toys and teach their child how to share with others.
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6 comments:
Amen! I have stopped taking sand toys to our local playground for this very reason. Just last week, a nanny was packing up to go and was taking my son's toys with her. I stopped her and asked for the toys back and she acted as though she didn't know any better. C'mon now, seriously? Your 4 yr old charge didn't come to the playground with a pail and shovel set that had another child's name on it. Why the heck are you taking it home like its yours?
Esp. in Beverly Hills...no less.
I am only kidding.
I agree. I think it is very nice for any family to let my charge play w/their sand toys and consider it a privilege..not a right. I would NEVER think to let my charge take home a shovel or bucket or whatever. That is just plain d-i-r-t-y.
I clearly mark our toys, and this is nuts, but i color code them, like all green, so it's easier to notice when one of ours is leaving the park (we keep two or three bags, so purple is stored at the beach, green in one car, blue in another) and i agree, it totally drags the good vibe down.
I also hate when kids yank their toy away from my kids with the grown ups approval, hello, yours just played with their toy for 30 mins and now you're here being pushy.
I really wish all parks were like the parks I visited in DC. Everyone just donates toys (usually used/outgrown by their own kids) and the toys STAY at the park! No one has to worry about lugging their own toys, keeping track of toys, etc.
In Santa Monica it was the same thing. Kids would come and pick up my kids' toys and leave all over the park. I mean, the parents/ nannies don't teach the kids that they should return the toys after they are done? I always would have to look for missing toys all over the park. Disturbing.
I've lurked a long time (former nanny in Philadelphia, Boston and Nantucket)...and while I can relate to 99% of posts, I have to say...whoever the OP is: if this is all you have to genuinely complain about in this day and age, kindly STFU and buy $6 worth of sand toys every once in a while, then get a warm fuzzy when the toys go missing and you remind yourself that "maybe that kid who took it just needed some fun in his life for once, and maybe the nanny/mom who noticed it wasn't theirs just couldn't afford it but took a dent in her pride to see a smile for once." Use it as a chance to teach the concepts of sharing and paying it forward. Cry me a damn river.
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