Vent! vent! Bad experience at Playtown

B

B4ME

New member
I had a really bad experience at Playtown today. Nothing to do with the place in fact, I have really good comments about it. Spacious, excellent staff, clean and well maintained. My first experience there was superb, my son who is extremely clingy and shy even enjoyed himself on our first visit which was on a Sunday. Sunday probably because we don't see many helpers there, mostly parents, we were all very polite and courteous with one another especially when it comes to taking turns with the limited number of kiddy cars.

But today(Friday), I was there again with my son and helper. As it is, I already had a tough day today, arranging lunch for my helper before we left the house so that she can feed my son while I catch a late lunch (3pm). But when I went back to Playtown after my lunch, my 17 month old son was crying and he threw up on my helper.

While trying to calm him, I walked around with him and thought I might be able to get his favourite kiddy car to make him happy again. I was waiting and waiting and all I see were some kids sitting in the kiddy cars watching the tv and the one who was in the one and only kiddy car (also my son's fav) was just next to his helper (who was happily chatting with other helpers - a familiar scene in Central on a Sunday!). At first I approached one of the staff stationed at the area to ask if I could have a car and he took one fr the kid who was sitting watching tv but my son refused to sit in it. He pointed at his fav car. I waited and waited until I couldn't wait anymore. Also I thought maybe I shdn't "complain" to the staff instead ask politely. So I approached the helper and just asked "Excuse me, are u the minder, may I have the car if he's done with it coz' I've been waiting for a while?"(am I being rude by asking this?) coz' she gave me a really nasty look and started making eye contacts with the other helper beside her and began her "show off". She shouted loudly saying why don't I just ask the kid myself if I want the car. I was totally taken aback cuz' I never expected such a nasty reply. Even if my English was bad, I'm sure my tone was the most polite one. I was loss for words for a while and I didnt' wanna make a big fuss coz' I didn't wanna frightened the kids. So I just told her off by saying he's just a kid but ur an adult and ur responsible for him. Plus she was actually aware of me waiting coz' I've seen her looking at me but gave that kind of "I don't give a dxmn" look and that smirk on her face.

Sorry I just have to vent it all out here coz' I feel really sad for the kid for having such a bad bad role model and I pity the employers for not knowing what she's feeding(morally) their son. As for the management of Playtown, if they ever come across this thread, they shd really do something about this as it's bound to be a common occurence if not bigger confrontations, among the adults there especially if the crowd keeps growing. I'm not going to pay to be bullied .. just wanna have a good time with my baby.

:tantrum:
 
have I misunderstood you? You expected another kid to give up the car he was in just because its your son's favourite?
 
I was waiting for a friend who lives in Belcher to get my helper a change of clothes while she cleaned herself up in the toilet coz' I can't possibly let her "soak" in vomit can I? Also she took a long time in the toilet. He cried coz' he just wanted to cling on to me. Also I've brought another set of clothings for my son to change. He wasn't running around with vomit all over and he is not sick.

I really have to clarify that I didn't expect another kid to give up the car for my son's sake and I certainly would not be asking without first accessing the situation. The kids were occupying the cars for way too long. And he was just sitting still in the car and watching tv. I would have asked my son to sit down if he wants to watch the tv and let the other kids take the car. Pls bear in mind, there's only 1 such car in the entire place for what? a hundred kids? Certainly the adults shd be considerate and let the other kids have their turn and since they don't, is it wrong for me to ask politely? I definitely didn't intend to take the car all to ourselves as that's not my way of setting a good example to my son. I always encourage him to share with others even offering the car to another kid.

Ladies, I don't blame you for not understanding the situation I was in but I hope whatever happens to me, will not happen anyone else. If you have only blame for me, pls keep it to yourselves, I don't need anyone to add salt to my wound.
 
I think there is nothing wrong with asking, and maybe another helper or mum would have say yes to you with a smile... There was nothing personal against you and this person didn't realise you were hurt because you just wanted to please your baby. I've experienced also some situations like this one, and it will happen again many times, on all when they get older and don't want to share. When I realise it's not gonna be easy, I just try to get his attention with some other play and he generally forgets very quickly what was his previous idea.
 
Thanks mumto2. I feel better now not because I expect only positive feedbacks but more because I appreciate that you care enough to reply.

As a mother I'm sure we want to see our children happy and give them the best. All I wanted was to teach my son that he has to wait for his turn and that he too has to share with the other kids but I felt like a total fool when I was being "bullied" right in front of my son's face for doing the right thing. I didn't snatch it away fr the kid, I just asked his helper. And because I didnt' want to make a big fuss and scare the kid, I had to hold myself back even when she kept on with her antics.

What would you do or say in this scenario? Your kid has been eyeing this toy for a while but some kid is "owning" it for a long time. You decide to distract your kid with other toys but he still longs for that same toy. Then you see the kid with his parent/minder and you decided to approach them to ask tactfully if you could have the toy. And all you get is this nasty, bxxxxy parent/minder telling you off and not just that, she keeps telling you off without giving you a chance to explain.

What would you do? I really need some tips to deal with this plssssss!



Thanks again!
 
Hi! Frenchy

I did and tried hard to distract and bring him to other areas (but they were for the older kids). He's only 17 mths and he's really shy and timid. You really have to see to believe it! In fact if I kept pushing him further that would only frighten him even more since he had that bad experience with the vomitting earlier. I didn't want to put him back in that same "below 3 area".

And believe me, she knew we were waiting coz' I tried a soft approach by sitting next to the helper and saying to my son "If you wanna play with this you will have to wait for your turn do u understand?". That was when I told you she had eye contact with me and then the other helpers and then put on the smirk on her face. That was when I thought enough is enough, so i asked her politely and the rest is history.

Frenchy, I was just asking and if the helper was not that rude and the kid is really so difficult and at the "I don't wanna share" phase, I would have just let him be and take my son away. I've used the distraction method on my son many times and they always work but this time, I just wanted my son to have his fav. ride for just a while before we leave the place so that he won't develope a phobia for that place if we ever go back there again. Plus we were there for less than 2 hrs when it happened and my helper who was there for the first time, wasn't familiar with the place and just stayed with him in the same area (hiding in some corner). By the time I was back fr my lunch and was thinking of familiarising my helper with the place, this whole thing happened and our supposedly happy and fun day was ruined. Thanks to that woman!
 
w2bmom,

from what i read, i donnt think you were 'bullied'. i mean, i think you did a great job, assessing the situation and asking the helper.but like all things in this world, we just cannot control everything including how others would react. you have asked politely and it is not your duty to educate the helper how she should react or what kind of moral she is implying to her employer's kid.. but you did a great job, to your own kid.. that's enough. it is not a fair and friendly world out there and much as we the parents try to teach our own kids to be a valuable member to the society, not everyone thinks the same way.. it's unfortunate / fortunate that this happen in a playgroup.. but it is not a fairy land out there and your son will understand that.. the good moral you are teaching him.. and when others reacting nastily,, sometimes we tolerate , sometimes we just walk away .. and sometimes, we do something about it.
it's a part of life lesson..
no, your kid cannot have his favourite toy, despite you waiting patiently and asking for it politely, because you met a very inconsiderate and rude helper.. but life is not fair, you may not be ready for your son to see but how you react to this helper is also very important.. if it is not under your circle of influence then, do something that is within your influence. take it easy, mummies are not God.. we cannot give them everything..
 
it is a very common occurence in HK where kids hog up on one toy and u cannot play with it. We had this sort of exprience very often. We generally always make our son that he should share his toys after playing with it for sometime. But we have heard so many times not only helpers but even parents who tell u that they are just kids 1-3 years old who dont understand the concept of sharing. I dont believe that as a parent we should make our kids understand sharing.
 
Totally agree with you. That's why I kept my cool, did what I shd do, walked away from her and vent my frustration on this forum. I didn't educate her. Just questioned her reaction. It was not worth my time anyway to pursue the matter further and at the end of the day she shd be ashamed of herself for her behaviour.
 
My previous post was in reply to reei's post.

As for Neha, we all have our own ways of disciplining or educating our kids and I certainly did not insist it on that kid. What bothers me was the rude woman and her rude reaction to my request. If she was nice and at least tried, but the kid still wouldn't budge, I couldn't possibly kick him out could I?
 
w2bmom,

rent a nice funny dvd to watch and laugh out loud. don't let someone so insignificant bother you. she is just not worth your time thinking about..
i heard the night at museum.. sth museum 2 is good..
hehe
 
yeah I think you're justing asking for a world of hurt really...lol...you can't control how other parents/helpers react/act, you can only choose how you will then react...learn how to blow off rude people and have a bitch about it later :-)
 
Thanks ladies!

Night at the museum... hmmm.... good idea!

And yes .. I like it! Blow off the rude and bitch about it later (in Geobaby?)! It sounds so good already lol! And I do believe in karma ... u wouldn't wanna know what I'm imagining now hahaha!
 
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