$2 roundabout rides and 'freeloaders'

Scenario: Your child wants to get on one of those $2 rides that go round and round while you're at the local supermarket. You're not necessrily inclined to put $2 in the machine, but you're happy for your tot to get on and sit and pretend. At the same time, another child approaches the roundabout and you can see the kid's mother is about to put $2 in. What do you do?

If my child is on the ride already I would leave him on if she chose to put the $2 in while he was sitting there. If he wasn't on it yet I would tell him we would go an find another one because it is the other child's turn on that one.

I would ask her to get off, unless the other parent indicated that she was allowed to stay, but when the situation was reversed I always invite kiddies to stay on, the more the merrier and slightly less of a waste of $2 in my eyes.

OK, so I was half way through my post and I hit the button to make it live. Sigh.

The above scenario happened to me today, but I was the mum coughing up the $2. I asked the other child if she'd like to have a ride. It didn't bother me. The girl had her ride, her mother stood right next to the roundabout. The mum made small chit chat with me for the two-minutes of the ride ... but not once did she say "thanks". Maybe I'm petty, but it's my pet hate. I always think that "thank you" is such an easy thing to say.

(ETA: The girl approached the roundabout after my son was already seated and I was putting the $2 in)

I've also had it happen that a parent has seen me about to pay for my children (two kids at the time) to have a ride on a roundabout, and hurried their child on to the third vacant seat in order to get a freebie ride. Again without a thanks.

Ah, it seems to petty. But it's simply a matter of manners. You see, if someone invited my child on to a roundabout ride, I'd offer than $1 or at the very least say "thanks very much" and get my child to say "thanks".

This happens to us in reverse, I always say 'I'm going to pop a coin in if your little one wants to stay on.' They always stay on and it doesn't bother me.

Just read your second post I've never not had a thank you, the parent is always surprised and I have had offers of a free ride for mine after (that we never take). I can see how people being impolite about it would be frustrating.

Oh, and I'm being tongue-in-cheek when I say "freeloaders". It's not exactly like I'm paying $500 for someone to have a gourmet five-course meal ... I do have some perspective

It irks me if people don't say thank you.
If I am putting my kids on and someone is allready on or about to climb on I will offer do they want a ride.
If my boys go to run towards one when someone else is putting money in I hold them back as don't want them free loading, if someone offers and says let them on I will and say thank you, and often will then pay for another ride with there child as well.

It is rude to not say thank you and its rude to rush kids on when see someone else putting money in.

Yeah that's why I ask DD to hop off unless she's specifically invited. I don't think it's great manners to expect a stranger to pay for her to ride if I'm not prepared to spend the $$ myself. I absolutely would never encourage her to do it, that's plain cheeky! But when it's us I'm happy to share because its just a nice thing to do. Every now and again though it becomes an awkward thing where the other parent feels compelled to 'pay back' and so on until we are both left standing at the stupid ride for way longer than ever intended just so it's 'even' lol

That's what I do if I'm not prepared to pay but someone else is wanting to pay for their child to ride it ... I make my kid/s get off.

I have a sneaking suspicion that some parents lurk near roundabouts, waiting ... waiting for the moment an unsuspecting parent reaches for a $2 coin as their child climbs onboard. Then out of nowhere ... HIJACK!!!

I do re call one day that my boys wanted a ride and as were picking what they wanted to sit on, someone else came and sat her child on what ever 1 of my boys wanted, I just stood there waiting to see what she did!! She left her child on and was not impressed when I commented that my son wanted to sit there for a ride she then said oh well there is still 1 left he can sit there!!
I took boys and my $2 to a diff one while she stood and let her child sit there on ride not moving!
I would have let him stay on if my kids had got to sit where they wanted!

What I'll often do is if DD1 somehow gets a free ride (either by being on it already and a parent pops in $2 without caring DD is there, or by the parent offering), I'll thank them, and then pop another $2 in after the ride is complete. That way both (or all) the kids get TWO RIDES (which is totally epic to a toddler) and I don't feel like a freeloader.

I take my child off. (Rant coming... Feel free to stop reading now)

I have a huge issue with entitlement. I do not want to teach my children that they are entitled to anything. Our society raises children who grow into adults with self entitlement issues. Think about it, if a child opens a chocolate at a supermarket it's the stores fault for having it in reach (erm no). If there's a pass the parcel there us a treat in every layer... and I could go on and on.

If someone was eating something I wouldn't let my child grab it out of their hands because they wanted it. Yes chocolates at eye level are a PITA, so are $2 rides... But it's part of learning. Yes there will be meltdowns and tantrums but its ok! It's part of learning. Yeah it's a PITA for you if they meltdown, but letting them get on the ride every time they see it isn't going to help them to learn anything. I hate quick fixes. Poor kids never learn anything then just because its easier on the parent.

And alternate happy shiny rainbows situation, minus the rant... If they offered for my child to stay on I would say thank you and make sure my child too thanked them.

Good point Rouge. It puts me in mind of a seminar at our school recently about "raising resilient children". My thoughts on children being resilient is that they learn how to lose and/or not come first. (ETA: obviously resilience is more than just this though!!) Back in my day (... the days when we rode in a horse and cart!), any competition/event/sport we had at school had a winner and a loser. We were taught from an early age how to lose graciously - ok, MOST of us were taught how to lose graciously. While I can see both sides of the argument, it does make me roll my eyes how no scores are recorded in kids sports till a certain age, and how all kids get a certificate/medal for participating rather than just the kid who came out on top getting something etc.

Absolutely its about resilience and it's about learning day to day coping mechanisms. How to deal with the emotions that come with disappointment, jealousy and entitlement. It's not easy being that little. Their logic is "But it's there. And there is room for me. Why can't I have a go????" And that's fair logic. So it's our job to help them see outside that box. And nurture when it all becomes too much emotionally and their reactions become a little too OTT Even if its annoying to us. It's annoying to them too!

This is where I feel like an over thinker. A neurotic parent even...

I tend to take my child off it, and tell them that it's someone else's turn now.

As often as not, the other parent will say something along the lines of, "oh that's fine - he can ride too" in which case I'll tell my child the other child is sharing, my child will generally say thank you (if not, I encourage him to!) and they can ride together, and I chit chat with the other parent while they do.

If the other family doesn't share, that's fine - it shows DS that not every one thinks to share, or chooses to do so, and that's life. If they do share, that's wonderful - we can all play and enjoy together, and we say thank you.

I would ask her to get off, unless the other parent indicated that she was allowed to stay, but when the situation was reversed I always invite kiddies to stay on, the more the merrier and slightly less of a waste of $2 in my eyes.

Same here. But Ill also put $2 in, in that case, so all our kids get two rides

If my child is playing on the ride and another parent comes along then in my book either they need to wait till my child has finished playing on it (not forever but a time equivalent to a ride) for their child to have a ride or be happy for mine to ride. Same true vice versa if a child is playing on it and mine want a ride then either we wait or I offer to let them ride. I don't think having the money to make it go trumps someone else enjoying two minutes on it. I would always say thanks and often offer to put more in but not if my kids had already had a go already perhaps. I have never had people be rude but have given and had plenty of free rides - you win some you lose some I reckon all balances out and would rather have three seats occipued and the ride make $2 than it make $6 because of some bizarre notion of freeloaders. If there are such a thing I feel very sorry for the children and am quite happy to share the ride with them. Like someone else said rather than freeloaders more likely you end up with everyone desperate to put $2 in because concerned about being labelled a freeloader so kids get masses of rides and all takes forever. I personally think the "if in doubt get your wallet out" and people not being able to just accept someone else being happy to share - is worse for society than any sense of entitlement that can be attached to supermarket rides.