# Way to set an example for the kids, assholes **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691 "2011-04-25T18:51:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/1 "2011-04-25T18:51:11Z")
Long story short, there’s a regional park near our home that is in the process of completing construction of a 1.2 million dollar play area for kids. They started last summer and it should be grand opening one of these weeks. Every week or so last fall and this spring I have taken my 4y.o. son there to watch the progress and he has been anxiously waiting for it to open. The area is surrounded by an orange mesh construction fence and multiple “construction area: do not enter” signs. Even though it’s getting close to completion I still have to explain that it’s not open until they take all the fences down. So yesterday, Easter Sunday, we decide to go check it out and see if it’s open yet. One of the first nice days of Spring and loads of people in the park. As we pull up to the area you could see the playground swarmed with people. “Cool” I thought. So we get up to the playground and find that it is not indeed open yet, however the orange construction fence has been pushed over in several places and about a hundred or so people are in there. Not just a bunch of mischievous teens but young kids who’s parents were obviously picnicking nearby and even parents with their kids playing all over the unfinished stuff. WTF is this? Mob mentality of “Well… everyone else is doing it… so it must be okay.” I was looking around for a park ranger but didn’t see any in the area. So now I’m left trying to explain to my kid why all these people are playing on the thing but he still can’t. So I’m pitting all you assholes who can’t read signs and feel you can just push your way into restricted areas cause no one’s looking. Great message you’re sending to the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/13edae/32.png) [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interconnected_Series_of_Tubes)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/2 "2011-04-25T18:59:05Z")
This is a really really bad pitting. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/3 "2011-04-25T19:06:51Z")
Well, it might lack an appropriate level of vitriol, but other than that I think this is an excellent pitting. How can we expect children to grow up following the rules if they see their parents so willing to break them. So, to all the aforementioned adults, you’re a bunch of shitheads. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/4 "2011-04-25T19:12:39Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > So, to all the aforementioned adults, you’re a bunch of shitheads. Maybe they’re just swingers? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/5 "2011-04-25T19:19:17Z")
What’s left to be done? Are there just teeters and no totters? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/6 "2011-04-25T19:19:27Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Maybe they’re just swingers? nm ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/7 "2011-04-25T19:20:54Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > How can we expect children to grow up following the rules if they see their parents so willing to break them. Careful. It only takes a few good apples to spoil the bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/8 "2011-04-25T19:26:09Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Well, it might lack an appropriate level of vitriol, but other than that I think this is an excellent pitting. How can we expect children to grow up following the rules if they see their parents so willing to break them. So, to all the aforementioned adults, you’re a bunch of shitheads. This is almost certainly not one of those occasions, but blindly following rules, and teaching kids to do the same, is not a good thing. Teaching them _why_ thy should follow the rules most of the time is important. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/9 "2011-04-25T19:32:09Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > (Etc…). Great message you’re sending to the kids. Tis the way of the world. Follow the rules if you want, don’t if you don’t. Humans suck anyway–our real choice has always been: obey and serve, or disobey and prosper. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/10 "2011-04-25T19:41:03Z")
not to mention that maybe some of the equipment isn’t as safe as it will be when complete? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/11 "2011-04-25T20:09:26Z")
This is America! We paid for the damn playground and it will be open when we want. Not some arbitrary schedule set by "The Man’. I think I’m kidding, but I’m not quite sure. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/12 "2011-04-25T20:17:49Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > not to mention that maybe some of the equipment isn’t as safe as it will be when complete? Then let the stupid people select their genes out. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/13 "2011-04-25T20:27:35Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > not to mention that maybe some of the equipment isn’t as safe as it will be when complete? And you know if little Kadenn or Bhrittaniey gets hurt, their parents will sue the bejeebers out of the city, claiming they didn’t know what the orange fence meant. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/14 "2011-04-25T21:12:48Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > And you know if little Kadenn or Bhrittaniey gets hurt, their parents will sue the bejeebers out of the city, claiming they didn’t know what the orange fence meant. That’s what firing squads were _really_ invented for. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/15 "2011-04-25T21:16:47Z")
$1.2 M for a play area??? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/16 "2011-04-25T21:50:17Z")
Let me guess: when you were a kid, the “play area” was an exposed landfill where you’d all gather and play “Syringe Collector” and “King of the Scrap Metal Hill”? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/17 "2011-04-25T21:54:44Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Let me guess: when you were a kid, the “play area” was an exposed landfill where you’d all gather and play “Syringe Collector” and “King of the Scrap Metal Hill”? Actually it was an overgrown vacant lot with lots of cool broken glass. As you’d guess, the adults ruined it. ---
**Author:** ![AlienVessels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@AlienVessels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienVessels)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/18 "2011-04-25T21:58:58Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Then let the stupid people select their genes out. Except not. They’ll sue because it wasn’t made humanly impossible for their get to injure themselves. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/19 "2011-04-25T22:00:36Z")
Play area was our farm & the adjoining Appalachian foothills. As for trash any low-lifes may have left behind, if we found any we cleaned it up, put it in a pile and burned it, whatever. Didn’t happen that often. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691/20 "2011-04-25T22:01:00Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Maybe they’re just swingers? > [@lieu](#): > > What’s left to be done? Are there just teeters and no totters? Well, you have to admit this is one of the few instances where a slippery slope analogy is in fact àpropos. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-to-set-an-example-for-the-kids-assholes/579691.md?page=2)