The Number Field

For the past several weeks, Elena has had a regularly scheduled play date with her friend Mason. Jenny knows Mason's mom from her former workplace, and it's also a good chance for them to get together and chat. Elena and Mason are still too young to play cooperatively, so they mostly play alone in the same general area.

Yesterday's get-together involved a visit to the Hoppin' House , which has lots of fun things to play on and in and with. Elena really enjoyed the bouncy playground and the foam pit, as did Mason.

There was one unpleasant moment while they were there. Elena was playing in an section reserved for toddlers, when two older kids, a brother and sister, invaded the area and started to take the toys that Elena was playing with. Despite the fact that they didn't belong their, and were being mean to Elena, their father did nothing to intervene, even though he was watching them. Jenny didn't know what to do; she didn't want to make a scene, but the kids were breaking the rules and something should have been done about it. The staff member who had been circulating to maintain order was nowhere to be found. Elena didn't mind too much, and eventually the older kids went away, but it was a blemish on what should have been a completely positive experience. What would you have done in that situation?