In the latest minor tiff, some folks complained in the popular “Hoboken Moms” Yahoo group that kids were playing ball in Church Square Park too close to nursing moms, but others believe that the nursing moms shouldn’t be, well, nursing where kids are supposed to play ball.
And one mom said she felt more threatened by a “friendly squirl.”
From the thread:
One nursing mom’s comment: “Ironically enough I have never looked at Hoboken Moms until tonight. (well, I guess I must have because apparently I have an account.) So, I happen to be one of the nursing moms in the park today and I am sorry for the inconvenience ( just grateful she’s not being harrased for nursing in front of children or something disturbing like that). When we arrived today there were no children playing ball. Originally older boys came and were boisterously throwing ball literally right above our heads which was alarming as we had no warning. Anyway, no need to review details, but will certainly be more mindful in the future.
I would like to add that I was there yesterday too and was with only one other woman and her child in the NE corner and it was frightening when something similar happened although to be honest the alarmingly friendly squirl was more alarming! : )
I guess I was seeing it as a first come first serve so to speak so it’s helpful to become aware that the older kids really need space to let off some steam. Surprisingly, many moms have come to like the turf because there are many less bugs.
I hope it’s not too much to request that if you have older kids to perhaps speak with them about how to play a little less wrecklessly if you see babies around. I certainly don’t think adolescents (and especially not the little ones) intend any harm and also just probably need to be made aware just like adults.
Feel free to approach in person next time especially if there is an issue. Thanks so much.
A previous post: It is my understanding that during the school year church square park is used by the children attending schools in the immediate area (the hudson school and the middle school and perhaps others) for recess. because these schools do not have ball fields or playgrounds and it is not feasible for the children to walk to a ball field, church square park is their only option to play outdoors during this time.
And another previous post: Hi,
I’m not sure where you are from but where I come from that would NEVER be considered a football field. You act as if these women were sitting in the middle of an actual soccer or baseball field. There are ball fields for your children to play in. I am not one of the nursing moms but I am a mother of two small and ACTIVE boys. When my boys want to play ball we go to a real field where they can play. We all need to share the space and I don’t think anyone has a right to tell these mothers not to picnic/nurse in a PARK.
And the original post: Ladies,
You all seem like lovely and reasonable women who just want to spend some quality time with your infants in the park, and most likely your hoping for some degree of privacy to talk and nurse without a group of four year olds screaming and throwing nerf footballs around you. I know a couple of you were a little annoyed when my daughter and her friend were throwing one near your blankets, so I had told them both to stop playing and hang near us. You thanked me graciously. I was fine with that at the time. I completely understood and remembered when I was a first time mom and my oldest was an infant, having older kids running around a little baby in tummy time could be quite terrifying. I also remembered how nice it was to nurse outside in the park.
However, when i saw three other groups of kids summoned away for this reason as well, and then an entire group of elementary kids with the most bummed looks on their faces when they couldn’t get their game going, well then, enough is enough. Especially since this was the second day in a row it happened. I am almost certain that it did not really occur to you at the time, but you are sitting very spread out in the MIDDLE of a turf football field. It is one of the few full open spaces for these kids to play soccer, football, tag, and relay races. There were plenty of other spaces in the park today, (and yesterday), on the grass with many shady trees that would be so much more appropriate for your needs. The older kids can’t play their games here because the trees do get in the way. Even sitting towards the perimeter or corners of that area would allow the older kids to access the field without getting in your way. Hey it’s a free country, you can sit wherever you want. I am just suggesting this because it seems all parties, including yourselves, were pretty annoyed today, and I think it can absolutely be avoided in the future. Thanks for hearing me out on this.
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