Children’s playgrounds are no strangers to arguments, but it’s normally the kids who are fighting.
But yesterday afternoon police were called to a Sydney playground where two parents were locked in a heated conversation over a set of child swings.
Sydney mother Elaine Stack took to Facebook after witnessing a man and woman arguing over whose child was more entitled to sitting on the swing.
Here’s how Elaine Stack described it on her Facebook page.
“Discussion to be had …
I was just at the park & the police arrived. Seemingly a Mother was pushing her little girl on a swing when a Father approached & said he was also waiting for the swing. The Mother replied that they would be another 5 minutes or so. The Father proceeded to stop the swing in motion & tried to lift the daughter out! The Mother was very upset & called the police. Another parent in the park thought this was a little over board. What would you do?!? Would you call the police?”
Comments were definitely divided.
Many were horrified that a stranger would touch a child without permission.
“Yep I would! How dare he touch another persons child! And teaching his child disgusting manners and how to be impatient and RUDE!!”
“Woah! I think that the father trying to lift the child out of the swing is completely over the line.
Not sure if I would have called the police, but it would have been a very confronting situation to be in. It’s hard to say how anyone would react when they are actually in that circumstance. Definitely not okay for any parent to be lifting a child out of the swing like that. Selfish.”
But they were unsure of whether calling the police was the right move:
“Wow that father is waayyyyy out of line. No matter the circumstances whether they had been on the swing for an hour. It is not ok to stop the swing and to physically try take another child out! Not sure about whether the police needed to be involved though. I don’t know what I would do in that situation!”
“The role of a police officer is not to sort out playground disputes between adults.”
While one parent took the middle ground, “I think they should both grow up and remember the example they’re setting for their own children. Having to call the police over a swing in ridiculous. They were both in the wrong. God forbid the police may be needed for something series [sic]!”
Inspector Sharkey at Ryde Police confirmed the incident to News.com.au, “Yes, police were called in regards to an incident at a park in Ryde yesterday. Police attended the scene, there was a dispute over one child staying on the swing longer than reasonable.
The police spoke to both parties, and no offence was detected by the police. Neither party wanted to make a further complaint. From the information police had at the scene there was no incident.”
Now imagine it was your child at the park. Would you call the police?
This post originally appeared on iVillage and has been republished with full permission.
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Top Comments
In a prior article where a young woman was beaten after a male grabbed her on the backside twice, she shoved him and he then punched her in the face, I was attacked by others because I suggested it is safer to walk away than to hit or shove a male who is obviously of the mindset of a bully and misogynistic pig.
I was accused of suggesting it was ok for a male to grope a woman. People were applauding the woman's stance at standing up to the guy regardless of the serious injury he inflicted on the young woman. The fact that the guy grabbed her on the backside was assault and justifiable for the woman to shove the male because he assaulted her first in the firm opinion of a lot of others. When a child is involved though apparently the mother over reacted by calling the police.
Personally, I think the mother did the right thing. What sort of a bully insists that his child go on the swing and pulls another child off it? That is the characteristics of a bully male and in my opinion, these types of men wouldn't dare try it if it was a father they were dealing with instead of the mother. Ironically though, the mother should have taught her child a valuable life lesson in walking away from crazy men who are bullies. If she hit the guy she would have been over reacting? Putting herself and child in unnecessary danger? And I agree with that premise but, what is the difference between walking away from an obvious male bully in a park because initial behaviour indicates the male has low values and regard for others, particularly small children and women, and a young woman moving away from an arsehole at a festival because he grabs her twice? One woman called the police and no injury was sustained. Another woman decided to shove a male and ended up in the emergency room. One woman is being applauded for shoving a male and standing up for her rights to stand her ground and stand where she wants. Another woman is being called petty for standing up for her rights in a playground.
Should or shouldn't we walk away from potential serious assault? Is it a valuable lesson to stand your ground and insist on demonstrating your civic rights to be safe and free from harassment in a public area, or, is it a petty and trivial matter where you should just walk away in the interests of your own personal safety?
I don't know if I would have called the police, but I know I would've been livid and upset and probably alarmed if a stranger tried to pick up my daughter to let their kid push in on the swing. What an aggressive, inappropriate move. I don't get why some people are pointing out that the mother overreacted without acknowledging that the father did so first. I have to wonder if the guy would have attempted the same thing if the girl on the swing was with her father instead of her mother.