Recently, the family and I indulged in one of our regular summertime activities - going to the little playground just east of Haughton and letting the kids run wild.  My older kid isn't really "playground age" but he loves chasing his little sister around and keeping her out of trouble.  If you've ever been there, you know that there is a fence all of the way around the play and picnic area with a gate you can shut.  We keep a watchful eye on the pair from afar, but mostly let them run and play on their own.

Don't get me wrong, I know that some of the playground equipment is too big for my toddler.  We don't let her play on the big kid stuff without an adult right there.  That being said, on more than one occasion I have received snide comments and stares about the way we let our one and a half year old play at the park.

Maybe it's the fact that this is our second child, or that I have a lot of trust in her big brother - but, I'm pretty at ease with her running more than 2 feet away from me at a fenced in park where I can see everything from my seat at the only entry/exit.  It also has something to do with the fact that I don't really like taking advice from someone who is hovering inches away from their child and screams in terror if they scrape their knees.

Has this ever happened to you?

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