Playground Etiquette

We had an unseasonably warm day today so I decided to venture out with the girl in tow to do a little shopping. On the way home I looked in the back seat and saw I had two sleeping babies. As exciting as that was, I cannot under any circumstances allow Amelia to nap or I will have to endure the 3 hour bedtime battle from hell. I got the crazy notion that if I took them to the park and let them run around for a bit it would undo the brief napping so off to the park we went.

I love having the playground to ourselves, but we weren't so lucky today. I dread seeing other kids and their parents because I feel as though people lack basic etiquette. Most trips to the park reinforce this feeling. Today was no different.

Amelia barreled out of the car and made a bee line for the swings. I carried Marinn and place her in the swing (the one the only other kid on the playground had just exited) and picked Amelia up and put her in the other. Oh the giggles that come from my girls when they swing...

Next on the agenda was a game of tag with the 'new friend' Amelia made. I ran and played with them while Marinn sat content in the swing.

Onto the slides we went. Up the stairs, down the slide. Again and again. Little kid heaven. All the while Marinn was swinging.

Then the parent of the child on the playground decided to stand a little to close to my kid in the swing so I decided to get her to join us. As I lifted her out of the swing (much to her protest) my hand felt something cold. She was wet. Really wet. Weird because although the ground was soggy the playground was dry. As I held this wet baby on my hip I looked up to see the 'new friend' being hoisted onto a swing-with pee soaked pants.

No! It couldn't be! Surely it mist have been her own diaper leaking! Quick check and... nope, bone dry. Resisting to urge to toss the pee soaked baby to the ground I rounded up Amelia and headed for the car. No amount of hand sanitizer will make that go away. My kids cried when I made them leave the park to take a bath.

I feel as though it should go without saying, but since it doesn't I think I'll petition the city for a sign listing park etiquette. Top of the list will be:

If your child urinates or defecates on playground clean it up. (Or at least say something when a mother with their hands full goes to sit their child in it!)