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What’s The Time Mr.Wolf Should Not Be Played

This is what I was witness to this week whilst taking my own children to school.

An elderly childminder is looking after four children aged five to seven years of age and is standing in the school playground holding multiple bags and chatting away to her friend.

Whilst the childminder awaits the school doors opening the children are getting bored so they begin to play a childhood favourite, What’s the time Mr.Wolf.

Sounds harmless doesn’t it, as the children play one becomes the wolf and roars, close by a child of Four whom is unknown to the childminder begins to cry.

The mother of said child comes over to comfort the girl, hugging her and telling her everything is okay and to stay away from “them mean children”

After sometime the mother turns from a comforting mum to an enraged woman, demanding that the childminder stops the children from playing a game which is clearly scaring her small child who is now sat on the playground floor sucking her thumb and whimpering.

Childminder pleads her case and explains that the children are playing a harmless game and maybe her child should try to join in or alternatively move away from them and play on some of the play equipment.

The mother doesn’t like this and says if the childminder does not do anything to stop them she will take further action and ensure everyone who is willing to listen knows that the childminder is a bully and unfit to care for small children.

Childminder looks defeated  and equally shocked and gives in and asks the children to cease playing this seemingly harmless game.

The mother then returns to her friends to bad mouth the childminder and says that What the time Mr.Wolf is too scary for small children and she thinks it should be banned.

The mother then picks her whimpering child up telling her everything is okay now and she is safe, the mother has to carry her child through the school door as she is still so upset.

Who is in the right here?

Should a game be stopped for one child?

The little girl is scared but does that warrant other children from playing?

Is this child extra sensitive due to her up bringing?

11 thoughts on “What’s The Time Mr.Wolf Should Not Be Played

  • Fi Brown

    I do not understand what the age of the child minder had to do with this!

    For what it’s worth I think the child minder is in the right in so far as the children should be allowed to play the game

    Reply
  • Mair

    I use to love playing them games when I was lil I personally think the child minder is right id rather my kids playing that than playing on xboxes and electronical gadgets

    Reply
  • Balerie

    Perhaps if the mother of the crying child had joined in with her little one to show her what fun it was. OR watched and sang along with them, probably too busy having a chat to manage the situation. I would have moved away a little and continued my game with the youngsters in my care.

    Reply
  • Utterly ridiculous ! The mother is in the wrong and quite clearly wraps her poor child up in cotton wool!! The little girl could have easily moved away but instead the other children have to stop having fun and stop their game because a child is getting upset by a HARMLESS game!! The mother needs to get a grip!!

    Reply
  • Miss A Baker

    I work as a Midday Meal Supervisor in a school and most recently played this with with reception Children ,they loved it ! They would ask me to.play it with them when I did playground duty .

    Reply
  • Jenny smith

    I would of got my child to join in with the game to show there was nothing to be scared of and it was fun to join in next they will be banning ring a ring a roses cause of germs holding hands lol what is this world coming to let kids be kids

    Reply
  • This takes me back 😃 Red Rover as well. Playground games are part of a child’s school memories. The mum would have done better to explain to her child what was happening and stood with them and watched together. Then the child would have realised nothing bad was going to happen.

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  • The mum is so in the wrong that game has been going for years. I work at lunch time in a school and the little ones love playing what’s the time mr Wolfe. So if this child is going to get upset every games is her mum gonna get them all stop she needs to get a grip

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  • The mother is the bully, she needs to get a grip and let children be children!! It sounds like she doesn’t spend any time playing games with her child, she’s the one in the wrong!!

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  • Omg the mother is so in the wrong. She’s the bully. Ok some kids are more sensitive than others but you’d expect her t walk away OR explain it’s just a game!! Wrapping her up in cotton wool is going to hinder rather than help her! Perhaps too busy chatting with her friends and didn’t want to move away for that reason pathetic!

    Reply
  • Omg I can’t believe what I’ve just read. Talk about the mother over reacting, this country is going mad!!!

    Reply

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