'The school doesn't have a problem with it, neither should you': Young mother told to stay out of kids' school park so a woman can use it for her dog instead, her son cries all the way home

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
May 24, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

People who believe that they own public spaces should be fined.

A pregnant lady lived near a school that had a perfect playground for her young son. However, the park was only open when school was out. So one Sunday afternoon, after school hours, she got dressed, packed her kid in her stroller, and began waddling to the park, thinking how much she would like to take a seat due to pregnancy pains. Looking forward to some rest, she got to the gate and went to open it when she noticed some coats sitting on it, making it hard to open without moving them. People had blocked the entrance, cool. Looking inside the park, she noticed some ladies and a very big dog. She thought it was weird because the park was for kids, not dogs, but whatever.

Suddenly, one of the ladies came up to her, and what she had to say was not kind. Sometimes these stories really get to me, and in all honesty, I hope this awful lady meets her match one day. If I had been there, I certainly wouldn't have responded kindly. Scroll down to find out what she said, and how the poor pregnant woman who just wanted a break responded. People in the comments were fuming.

Then, check out this man who locked himself out of his car, and then expected a technician to come help him for free.

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  • 01
    "I was told my son couldn't play in the preschool park because a dog was using it."
    via Canva
  • 02
    I was told my son couldn't play in the preschool park because a dog was using it.
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 03
    I am lucky to live within walking distance to a local elementary school. This school has a fabulous field and play structure for kids, but also has a preschool play area. My son is almost two and it's the perfect playground for him, the toys are his size, it's fully fenced so he can't escape onto the busy street, there are lots of pinecones, etc.
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 04
    Because it is a school property, we can only go play there when school isn't in session. So Sunday afternoon we took a little walk to the playground. It's not long, only 15 minutes, but I'm in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy so I was looking forward to sitting down for a bit when we got there. As I was walking up I noticed a few adults and a giant dog playing in the park. I figured I just
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 05
    hadn't seen the little ones playing yet. And no big deal, I've taken my dog to that park too, it's great that it's fully fenced. When I walked up to the gate I was slightly annoyed to see that the women inside had put their coats over the gate and made it impossible to enter without moving their things.
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 06
    Then she hit me with this, "Can you just give us 20 minutes?" It is now clear to me that there are no toher children, just the ladies and the dog. Me: "...Ok..." Me: "For your dog? To play in the park for kids?" Lady: "There isn't a sign that says we can't. Take it up with the elementary school." Me: "...Ok."
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 07
    I walked away and we went on a 40 minute stroller walk instead. My son cried as we left. I hope she heard. I was so tired that I fell asleep on the couch at 6:45 PM, which may or may not be related.
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 08
    SuzCoffee Bean • 9 hr. ago You can't take over a park those people were 100% in the wrong. I get not confronting when you're so pregnant. Hopefully it doesn't happen again or they meet their match next time 5.9k Reply Share
    via u/SuzCoffeeBean
  • 09
    Successful_Moment_91 6 hr. ago Also, dog could have been aggressive and hurt them if they stayed. My SO just got bit last weekend and the owner just ran off and refused to take responsibility. He had to leave and see a doctor and deal with it on his own. There was no way to find out where they lived without risking another worse bite But they are being selfish talking over a kids' play area. Calling the cops should have removed them but they could retaliate later 586 Reply Share
    via u/Successful_Moment_91
  • 10
    BabyBird HasaCDH OP. 7 hr. ago Yeah everyone here seems to be way more confrontational than I am. Sometimes the best thing to do is take the high road. If this woman hasn't learned to be considerate her whole life, I'm certainly not going to teach her anything in a tense conversation on a Sunday afternoon. 1.9k Reply Share ...
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH
  • 11
    Aquatic_Platinum78 · 6 hr. ago I would absolutely take it up with the school. She cannot claim the whole park for herself and you have just as much of right to be there as they do. 717 Reply Share ValkyrieVibeke · 6 hr. ago I would, too. Our school doesn't allow people to bring their dogs on the playground. Too many of them don't clean up after their pets. 616 Reply Share
    via u/Aquatic_Platinum78, u/ValkyrieVibeke
  • 12
    PeggysSimp. 9 hr. ago People never cease to surprise with how inconsiderate they can be. Hijacking the park like that was selfish. 1.4k Reply Share Remarkable_Inchworm 8 hr. ago Worst part is the dog owner is probably creating another thread in here, furious at the idea that her dog's playtime was almost interrupted. I love dogs but dog owners can be a horribly entitled bunch. 668 Reply Share ...
    via u/PeggysSimp, u/Remarkable_Inchworm
  • 13
    aroha93 7 hr. ago I've had a similar thing happen. My sister and I took my two dogs to our local dog park pretty early in the morning, and these two women were there with like 8 dogs between them—too many dogs for the two of them, frankly. We start to go in, and all of the dogs run up to the gate to investigate my dogs, barking pretty aggressively. One of the women follows them. The barking gets so bad that my sister says "maybe we should leave." I didn't get the hint and said "but I want to pla
    via u/aroha93
  • 14
    That ki ed the vibe, and my sister and I turned around and left. But the path we had to walk down followed the fenced in portion of the play area, and the dogs followed us all the way down it. My dogs were at the fence, sniffing the dogs who were there, while some of the other dogs were barking. At this point it wasn't aggressive any more. Well, the woman from before walks over to where we were, and says in a pretty stern
    via u/aroha93
  • 15
    voice "you need to either come in or leave, because this (gestures at her herd of barking dogs) is your fault." It's stuck with me all these years because I've never meet such an entitled, tone deaf person before. We think that she had gotten to the dog park with her dog sled team really early so that she wouldn't have to share it, and then got mad when we showed up and expected to use the public dog park. 361 Reply Share
    via u/aroha93
  • 16
    Ok-Zombie-001 - 9 hr. ago I'd have told her no. It's open to the public and it's a park for kids. I'll be bringing my child in. 1.8k Reply Share BabyBird HasaCDH OP. 9 hr. ago I should have mentioned, the dog was GIANT. My son loves dogs and is too young to leave it alone if it's not friendly, so I just decided not to engage. 1.5k Reply Share ...
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH, u/Ok-Zombie-001
  • 17
    TheCityGirl . 7 hr. ago Can you reach out to the school and maybe now they can put up signs saying no dogs? 349 Reply Share Fr05t_B1t. 7 hr. ago She can...the school can put up signs...but a les aren't gonna let a sign stop them so the playground might get locked up 159 Reply Share
    via u/TheCityGirl, u/Fr05t_B1t
  • 18
    bradperry2435. 8 hr. ago I would have told that lady to f ck right off 193 Reply Share ohio_guy_2020. 5 hr. ago "There is no sign saying I can't park my car right in the middle of the play area either. So it shouldn't be a problem with you if I go ahead and do that. Take it up with the school if it bothers you. Mmkay..." 43 Reply Share
    via u/bradperry2435, u/ohio_guy_2020
  • 19
    Hot-Win2571.9 hr. ago We can hope that the school would put up a sign. "Martha Smith, family, or pets can not use this park." 85 Reply Share ...
    via u/Hot-Win2571
  • 20
    NoParticular2420 - 8 hr. ago Talk to the school about this ... maybe that dog doesn't like kids... But it's still odd that you would take your dog into a fenced in school playground ever. Some people. 188 Reply Share
    via u/NoParticular2420
  • 21
    dustysa4 . 7 hr. ago Is there any sign saying I'm not allowed to sleep in the tube slide? Okay, so if you don't like it, take it up with the school. 57 Reply Share BabyBird HasaCDH OP. 7 hr. ago Yes! This is the logic 14 Reply Share
    via u/BabyBirdHasaCDH, u/dustysa4
  • 22
    Kkimp1955. 7 hr. ago Dogs are often not allowed on school grounds.. do take it up with the school.. are the city. And a lot of places city funds are used for parks at schools so the locals can use it after school. But in general kids over dogs, I'm just saying. 63 Reply Share
    via u/Kkimp1955
  • 23
    WesternCowgirl27. 6 hr. ago My God, the f audacity of some people. You should've responded with, “Great, I don't see your names on the park." and entered anyway. Don't take s t from Karens. I'm sorry this happened to you, OP, especially in the third trimester. Ugh, I would've lost my shif someone did that to me and my son. 24 Reply Share
    via u/WesternCowgirl27

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dogs school elementary school pets students young mother toys kids mother pinecones park parenting outside doggo women school park son playing preschool
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