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Mum slammed for suggesting young boy not welcome at playground because it was for girls only!

The woman asked for advice after she had been regularly meeting up with some other mums and their daughters for a play date at a local playground.

She posted her question online at The Washington Post’s live chat with Carolyn Hax.

Advice columnist Carolyn Hax chats live every Friday at noon to answer any questions you might have about this strange train we call life.

The mum wrote: “I have a daughter and some other mums of daughters and I have started getting together at a local playground at a set time each week.

“Recently a mum of a boy brought her son to the playground at the same time we were there. I asked her (nicely, I thought) if she would mind leaving because we had wanted it to be a girls-only time. She refused and seemed angry at me.

“If she comes back, is there a better way I can approach her? This has been such a sweet time for mums and daughters and having a boy there is naturally going to change things.

“We live in a world where boys get everything and girls are left with the crumbs, and I would think this mum would realize that, but she seems to think her son is entitled to crash this girls-only time. I know I can’t legally keep her from a public park, but can I appeal to her better nature?” (Is she serious!?)

playground drama

Carolyn replied with: “Can I appeal to -your- better nature?

Goddess help us all.

“Shooing off the mum and her boy was terrible. And justifying it as a cosmic correction? Wow.

“That kid is a human being–not with privileged little man feelings, either, but with feelings, period. Perhaps even a disposition that fit better into your idea of girl behavior than one or more of the girls there. People are not widgets. And the adult you shooed off is a mum, possessor of the same crumbs you’ve been fed, no? So don’t you think she would have just liked to hang with some fellow mums in the park while she was out with her child?

“I mean, maybe not now. I’d avoid you thereafter if I were the one you asked to leave on these terms.

“If you’re going to have an exclusive gathering, then host it on private property.

“And if you’re going to accuse anyone of being “entitled,” then ask yourself who was claiming possession of public space for her own purposes.”

playground drama2

Thank you, Carolyn!

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  • For goodness sake it is s public and not private area

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  • the gender war is really getting out of hand. Can’t they both just enjoy their time at the playground, nobody should be able to dictate who gets to use a community playground.

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  • What a horrible example that woman is setting for her “girls” & reeks of the “sense of entitlement” we are seeing in this generation.
    We are making life too complicated for children & it is no wonder that they are becoming confused with what is acceptable socially & inheriting bad choices from their parents. Disgusting behavior on behalf of the mother. if she doesn’t want boys around then have the play date at your own home!

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  • Imagine her comments if she had been asked to leave because there were all boys there. She would probably try to sue someone and get the feminists marching. Ridiculous.

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  • I’m a Single Mum of boys and a girl. I can only imagine how that poor little boy felt. How did his mother explain to him what the other mother did! How do we teach our boys to respect women when they behave in such a sexist manner? And the Mother of the boy, surely she just wanted to see her son having fun with other children, boys or girls! Shame on the mother for excluding a child because of gender and what she believes. Children have nothing to do with Society behaviors. It’s the Adults. I’m certainly glad I don’t live there.

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  • That is terrible, this woman is asking for advice on how to “exclude” someone, not include them. i don’t think this is a great lesson to teach kids. The mum of the boy has every right to g eff t upset. it is a public space.

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  • That is just awful, if I was the boys mum I too would have been angry at being asked to leave. It’s a “public” playground love, which means it’s open to everyone no matter their gender

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  • That’s awful! Its a great opportunity to show a little boy how to treat girls with respect. If you want a girls club then do it in your own house.

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  • That’s shockingly rude. Hard to believe anyone would do that in a public place.

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  • If I was that other lady that was asked to leave I’d Be bringing along more little friends for a play

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  • i know what i would have said to this so called person. Thinks she is entitled to use a public space that is there for all to use. Not even promoting equality or even showing that male & female can interact together safely. Just what sort of mother is this person, i hate to see what her daughter will grow up like with her attitude.

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  • Fantastic response to an insanely stupid question – if you want to control who can come to play, host your gathering in a private location not a public park. Who does this woman think she is?! And why on earth would you think it an appropriate course of action to ask a mother and child to leave a park because you don’t want a boy infringing on “sweet girl time”. For crying out loud, this is the wrong way to go about raising a strong confident little girl. Would be better for them to learn to play with all sorts of kids than be cocooned and swaddled in an imaginary cotton candy world.

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  • Ridiculous! A park is a public space and is for the use of all genders and all families. It is actually the right of all genders and all families to use the space.

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  • This mum doesn’t show the best example in including !

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  • If it had been Dads or Mums with their boys would the parent of a girl like to be asked to leave. Technically the playground is probably owned and maintained by the Council that is serviced by the area. The women wouldn’t have booked and paid a fee for the exclusive use of the playground.

    Reply

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