Now that summer is here, many families will spend their days in the hot sun, looking for a place to cool off. Millions will flock to pools and water parks to try and beat the heat. A mom from St. Charles, Missouri, wanted to do just that last week but was met with a pretty shocking obstacle.
Kailee Dickey was with her children at the Wapelhorst Aquatic Facility when her son wanted to ride one of the giant slides. He needed an adult to ride along, and Dickey gladly volunteered. She tells CafeMom that the young family was having a blast until they reached the top of the slide and things became uncomfortable.
More from CafeMom: I Ditched My Husband for Laughing at Me & Publicly Body Shaming Me at His Birthday Party
The slide had posted weight requirements.
Dickey says she was aware of the Bommerango waterslide's size requirements, including a minimum and maximum weight. When Dickey got to the top of the slide, she was shocked when a park employee told her he needed her weight. The ride's maximum is 400 pounds for two riders, and the pair were visibly under the weight limit, but the employee insisted the young mom get on the scale or say her weight aloud. That seemed unnecessary to Dickey.
"My main focus was their policy calling people out and making them uncomfortable in an already uncomfortable environment," she tells CafeMom.
And she's not wrong. Wearing a swimsuit in public makes many people feel self-conscious, regardless of their weight.
Dickey, 28, ultimately told the employee her weight so she and her 5-year-old son could go down the slide. She told Fox 2 some people waiting in the line laughed, but she wanted her son to enjoy the day. She admitted to shedding a couple of tears because she was embarrassed by the situation. After the ride down the slide, she regained her composure and found a manager.
"This isn't something many people I know would be comfortable doing. Whether you're big or small weight is a large factor that causes a ton of people to be self-conscious, and it's not something that should be shared publicly," Dickey says.
Dickey claims that although she made the report, no one from the park ever contacted her.
The young mom explains to CafeMom that even though she brought the matter to the attention of water park management, no one reached out to her. Instead, St. Charles Parks and Recreation Director Maralee Britton released a statement obtained by Fox 2.
"We apologize for the embarrassment of the guest announcing their weight. This should not have occurred, and we are correcting the issue with additional staff training and ensuring everyone is stepping on the scale. Operating the slide for the last five years, we have not encountered issues with the scale requirement however, we are understanding of the concerns raised and will review the signage for potential updates," the statement reads in part.
"Our goal is to never embarrass anyone and look out for their safety while visiting the Aquatic Facilities. If we have caused embarrassment we apologize as that is not our intent," the statement continues.
Since the story broke, Dickey says she has received mostly positive feedback.
We live in a world where people, particularly women, are criticized for their bodies. Although there are more champions of body positivity than ever, people still judge, and it's pretty gross.
"I've received a ton of support, but I also got a ton of hate from mostly men telling me to go to the gym and lose weight. It's been ridiculous," she tells us.
Sadly, we're not surprised. It's as if some people make it a point to put others down. And no one has the right to do that, no matter what your body looks like. Ever.
More from CafeMom: Peloton Instructor Calls Out Critics Over 'Fat-Shaming Comments' on Social Media
Dickey says she has no plans to return to the water park.
Even though it was a fun day for her sons, Dickey feels that the park embarrassed her and mismanaged the entire situation.
"I felt I was doing the right thing by addressing a policy issue, and a lot of people agree. The park though, I won't be returning. The way it was handled by management was unprofessional, the statement was insensitive," she tells us. "I never even got a refund, not that I asked for one. But it just seems like the right thing to do to have the park seem sincere or at least acknowledge the issues with their policy."
Although Britton apologized in her statement, Dickey says nothing was said to her directly. Dickey says she understands the importance of guest safety, but making someone jump on a scale that shows their exact weight or say the number aloud is uncalled for.
"There just has to be a better way to ensure the safety of their guests while avoiding publicly humiliating them," she says.
