Rude Mother at Gymnastics

They are everywhere, aren't they. My niece's swim class ended up with one of the boys on the bottom of the hottub after class- had to call 911, do cpr, because the mom was busy chatting away at the other end of the place. He ended up being fine.

Do the owners not know who the mother is? I would either talk to the management, or when the girl is told not to climb, let that instructor know that the mom is "over there" on the phone, or whatever. I didn't leave my 18 month old unsupervised at home, nevermind at a gym!!

BTW, I also cloth diaper, and love to share, so feel free to ask me any questions. :)

I too struggle with "non-parenting" when it puts the kids at risk of getting hurt. I think the best thing you can do is talk with the teachers or director about your concerns now, before you go to class again.

If it's a Mom N Tot class there should be clear rules already laid out about expecting a parent to be with their child at all times. The teachers really should have said/done something immediately.

I am sure there is a manager or director SOMEWHERE who would be very interested to know that their staff isn't stepping in, talking with the parent and doing everything they can to avoid a child getting hurt and potential lawsuit.

I taught gymnastics for 4 years in college - our owners shouldered a considerable legally liability because of the nature of the activities performed there.

As an instructor with kids that age, it's really difficult to continue to teach the class, engage the children and babysit unruly kids who desperately want to do their own thing. I don't think it's the instructor's fault in this particular situation. When the kids that age would get unruly in our gym (the class was taught by one of the owners), she'd realize that actual instruction was futile and would let them either jump in the foam pit or play "Smash and Crash" piling up mats and letting the kids knock them over.

I'd go to the management/owners of the gym and explain that you're concerned not only about the safety of the little girl/kids, but also for their liability. Let them approach the other mother pending their reaction to the situation.

We, too, are astounded at how people have children and then pay so little attention to them in public places.

As far as the Mom, I'd be courteous in dealing with her but only as needed based upon the class. Hopefully, it won't ruin the experience for you or your child.

Oh, I think everyone sees this parenting style at one time or another. Annoying as heck, isn't it. But they merrily go through life causing havoc around them and get very irritated at anyone who suggests they keep an eye on their own kids as they run wild where ever they happen to be. Let the gym personnel handle it. If the child is disrupting the class, the instructors should ask her (the mother) to take her child(ren) and leave. It's their insurance policy that's on the line should anyone get injured. People like that are walking talking law suits just waiting to happen.

Its up to the management... if the girl gets hurt... they are liable.
So, if you feel the need to say something... tell the Managment/Owner/Teachers or any adult leader of the place.

I would go to the teachers and management and tell them about it. A parent needs to be there to supervise and although it is difficult to have to tell a parent that they need to watch their child, that is part of what they get paid for. They need to take care of their business and make sure no one gets hurt and if it continues and it impacts the class and your child's instruction, go to a different place.

I would deff. tell the people that run the class, but it is odd that they are not talking to her about it themselves as I am sure they dont want her to get hurt either. I think it is okay that you will tell them, she will not know that you did and the problem may get fixed. I would also be friendly but not too friendly dont go out of your way to talk to her as I am sure that is not someone you want around your child.

We take our little ones to Buddy and Me and we are expected to be in the class being the "Buddy", it is our responsibilty to interact with our children, we are right there at the beams walking alongside helping them, we sometimes can be found holding a hand as the little ones bounce down the tumble trak, and when they are playing in the pit under the rock climbing wall, we are right there playing too. We help them touch their noses to the bars when doing the different activities on them. Your place is beside your child and the other mother should be by hers.

When any of the children are acting up or the parents aren't doing their part the teacher has the parent take the child out of the class for a while. Sometimes the little ones are just frustrated and need a moment to calm down. There have been times my little one is disrupting the class and the owner or teacher asked me to take him outside. It really works to get him calmed down because he wants to stay in class, but he's 3 now and some of the little ones are only 18 months old.

It is definantly going to make a difference to the owner if they are in danger of losing everyone else in the class if they don't do something to insure that this child is getting the full benefit of the "Parent/Buddy" interaction the class is designed for. They may also have a different ideal of what the class is supposed to be about because if it's an interaction class designed to be for both the parent, or other caregiver, and the child then the teacher is not fulfilling that requirement. Many teachers are students themselves or previous students, young and inexperienced in diplomacy. They don't know how to tell a parent to act differently and they may just not notice.

I would let management know. It is often hard for lower-level employees to step in and say something to a mom about bad parenting. They aren't sure what they should or are allowed to say to a customer. I doubt they are even considering the liability issue and are just thinking about her rudeness and having a potential scene if they say something. Management is a lot more likely to speak up and warn the lady that she needs to be attentive.

Hi!! I have been here before, actually still am at times...

I see families all the time, and watch the news on a 'net and always wonder .. what kind of people or what are they doing? .. or you know all them comments when we watch something that is not right----
Life is what you make it- pick your battles!! Your daughter will not be with you all the time, she will see things and know right from wrong at times, and hopefully will be able to come to you and tell you what she saw .. my point is -- you have already did what you can do, and has turned out that this woman really doesnt' care about your thoughts- or anyones, for that matter.
The reason why this establishment has not done anything is because this is not the 1st time they have had parents like this who didnt' care. Should you say something? you already have.. Should you let it lie? Hmmmm.. what does that mean? Letting it lie could be that you take your daughter elsewhere and run into someone else doing the same thing or worse- it could mean that you teach your daughter a lesson in what other parents or children think is okay- and it is NOT.. or "letting it lie" could mean that you report her to the CPS or head of the gymnastics place and have this lil girl taken away from her parent because "you" didn't find any other way... either way, pick your battles, think before you act and realize that this mother is human, she is trying and there may be times when you will find yourself in the same or worse situation that this one.

If you haven't been out and around a wild little kid who isn't well supervised by his/her parent until now, you haven't gotten out much.
They are everywhere and you can judge about it, but that's about it.
If you truly feel this child is in danger, the only thing you can do is comment to the directors of the facility. Saying anything to the mom most likely will go in one ear and out the other if she is truly tuned out. To me, it sounds like the management needs to teach the child boundaries if the mother can't or won't.
My children were very well behaved in these situations. I'm not saying they were perfect, but I will tell you that a little kid doing something like this, or throwing a fit in a restaurant or just wreaking havoc....my kids didn't want to be "that" kid. They didn't want to be the unruly one. Kids witnessing other kids run amock isn't always a bad thing because we can tell them that is how NOT to behave.
Don't worry about the other child falling down. It's not your responsibility or liability. And, I seriously doubt you have to worry about your child getting hurt if you are supervising.
If you and other moms want to ban together to get the other child removed, do what you feel is right but keep in mind, that little kid could really use the socialization and learning how to fit in with the activities even if the mother isn't thinking that far ahead. Dealing with her is up to the management but I hope instead of worrying about what the mother does or doesn't do, the little girl herself can be embraced and learn the rules and make some friends.
No offense, but why would you ask another mom you don't know about having cloth diapers on her child? Why were you trying to discuss diapering at a gymnastics class? You might not have meant anything by it, but that's like approaching someone you don't know to say, "Why does your son cry everytime he doesn't get to be first for something?"
You thought she was rude, did you perhaps come off as confrontational?
You always catch more flies with honey.