Fri 21 Sep 2007
I have a question for the more seasoned parents out there. What exactly are the rules of etiquette for the park? I have many years of dog-park experience under my belt, so I thought I would be fine at the kid-park once the time came. I find that is not the case.
My experience at the dog-park is that most owners tend to be extremely friendly, happy to make eye contact and say hi, if not strike up a conversation. In fact, there have been times when I have NOT gone to the dog-park because I didn’t feel like being sociable. This, however, is not my experience at the kid-park. When I go to the kid-park there are usually groups of parents talking amongst themselves and I am never sure how to break in and say hi. So Emma and I do our thing - usually swinging - and go home.
Really, Emma is really still a little young for the park. She can only truly enjoy the swings right now, although she is starting to dig the little slide, as long as I hold her while she goes down it. So, maybe as she gets older and can appreciate the park a little more, we will start to meet and hang out with parents whose kids are Emma’s age?
Am I going about this the wrong way maybe? Is this more like junior high than I wanted to think? Am I supposed to actually be IGNORING all of the other parents thereby solidifying that I am, in fact, one of the cool kids? I wasn’t any good at that in junior high either.
Or, is breaking into the whole kid-park culture more difficult than I had originally anticipated? Am I doomed to a life on the periphery - watching all the other parents become BFF’s?
Any insight from anyone would be appreciated.
September 22nd, 2007 at 2:59 pm
I believe that if you were to move to VT and go to a park, not only would Jack and I say Hi to you…… we would cover you with hugs and kisses! That’s just how we roll up here……
Missin’ ya terribly!
xxoo
September 25th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
awww kate and jack!! I wish we lived up there…all of my kid-park problems would be over! miss you.
October 4th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
As a total stranger who stumbled on your blog on the WashPost blog roll, but has a 5 years old in November boy…
1 - It depends a little on the park. Small neighborhood parks are more likely to be friendly that big “destination” parks like Turtle Park or Palisades Rec.
2 - There are definitely cliques in some parks. Nannies tend to hang together. Stay-at-home Moms tend to know each other etc. I worked a 4 day week before O started school and none of them knew what to make of a father at the park with his kid during work hours on a school day.
3 - That said, I’ve had some nice conversations with other parents at the park, but frequently I had to initiate them. They’re just as clueless as you in most cases.