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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rights for children

84 replies

Millenniumbug · 02/02/2011 20:40

AIBU The law has correctly applied the right for same-sex couples to stay in any hotel they want to. But, how many hotels & holiday companies have an adults only policy, (but you can take your dog). Now there are plans for child-free aeroplanes as well. Isn't it time our children were included in anti-discrimination legislation too?

OP posts:
stoppinchingthedummy · 02/02/2011 20:42

To be honest although i agree in a way - id rather child free for some things that way if there is another human being in the same hotel as us or on the plane and they moan then its tough cos they could have gone on a child free plane/holiday :)

mumbar · 02/02/2011 20:47

A lot of campsites/hotels ban single sex groups. Guess that has remained? Would break the legislation somewhat as then for example 3 single sex couples couldn't holiday together. Doesn't apply when children though. I have been away with 5 other woman but we left the dh/ps at home and didn't count as single sex group as dcs present. Probably made more noise though!!!

Child free is different than same sex couples though so imo on that basis yabu.

BuzzLightBeer · 02/02/2011 20:50

No. Children are not a minority group, we have all been there.

Children don't need to be included in everything, because they are children.

Booandpops · 02/02/2011 20:57

I think it's a good idea as it's less stress for me if the child haters are on a different plane.

Tbh if I'm out for dinner with dh I'd pick a table away from other peoples kids as well. I went out to have a break not listen to other children.

Original poster
Millenniumbug · 02/02/2011 21:34

It just annoys me that dogs can go to some of these places, but children are excluded. I wouldn't want to take my ch into a nightclub or similar, but a holiday place shouldn't be able to discriminate against anyone.

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 02/02/2011 21:34

having children IS a choice though - being gay isn't

gordyslovesheep · 02/02/2011 21:35

oh and on most occasions - especially when I am childfree other peoples kids really get on my pips - if they are noisy and badly behaved (or kicking my ruddy seat all the way to and from Holland as on my last trip)

CoronaAndLime · 02/02/2011 21:37

Yes but being a child is NOT a choice -You cant go straight from birth to adulthood.

curlymama · 02/02/2011 21:38

It doesn't bother me at all. There are plenty of places aimed at families that you would probably never go to if you didn't have children. Should those places have to do more to encourage adults without children to go?

Sometimes people like to not be surrounded by children. I know I don't want to be if I'm not looking after my own or looking after the children at work.

Pootles2010 · 02/02/2011 21:40

I think the key is that having children around could alter someone elses holiday/meal out, whereas a gay couple at the next table wouldn't.

Vallhala · 02/02/2011 21:41

YABU. If I could take my dogs to half the places to which children are welcome I;d be happy, but I'm not so your argument doesn't hold water. Think covered shopping centres, restaurants, most hotels, shops, post offices, pubs, planes (unless crated and in different accomadation to me or my DC), think depending on the discretion of the driver on buses...

Some of us not only don't want our children with us on our much-longed for, much deserved holiday, we don't want yours either. I'm a lone mother, I have enough time with my children and I very much appreciate child free environments. Children don't need to be involved in everything an adult does.

maighdlin · 02/02/2011 21:42

no. not everything has to be family friendly. i would hate it if me and DH went on a lovely romantic holiday and were surrounded by kids. in some situations kids just don't belong there.

gordyslovesheep · 02/02/2011 21:43

yeh but children aren't choosing and paying for the food/holiday etc adults are - and adults have a lot of family friendly choices

Pootles2010 · 02/02/2011 21:45

Agree Valhala - funny before ds i never minded kids in a restaurant, but now on a very rare meal out (I mean like 9 pm on fri night, not during day) I don't want kids screaming around the place!

onceamai · 02/02/2011 21:47

I am nearly 50 - my children are teenagers - I have served my sentence and now I have some freedom and get time off for good behaviour I don't see why anyone should be accompanied by cellmates when they are allowed out on parole Wink.

Original poster
Millenniumbug · 02/02/2011 21:55

Gordylovessleep I don't want this to become a gay issue - I just used the example because of the recent landmark victory in court. I certainly did not mean to undermine any of the work or struggle to secure equal rights, or offend anyone.
It just drives me mad when a local holiday park can have a big sign up saying, "Adults only" and a smaller sign under it saying, "Dogs welcome". I get sick of children, (and their parents), being treated as 2nd class citizens. Surely today, it is not acceptable for a place like this, or an aeroplane offering a travel service, to exclude anyone.

OP posts:
Vallhala · 02/02/2011 21:57

I still want the phone number of that holiday park, just to make top of my list of ones to visit should I ever get the urge to go to a holiday camp. :o

thelibster · 02/02/2011 22:00

I really don't see why any hotel or holiday company shouldn't be able to lay down it's own rules about who they do, or don't admit. It's a free country after all. There are so many anomalies around. It annoys my son that, having a July birthday, he can't go to the pub with his best schoolmate on a Saturday night, even if he sticks to soft drinks. They're both upper sixth but best mate has a September birthday. It's life. Also, on the subject of the B & B owners who didn't want to admit a gay couple, it's they're home after all. I don't agree with it and think that they are totally bigoted quite frankly and they certainly shouldn't be allowed to advertise the fact, but if they choose not to have two men sharing a bedroom in their home then it should be up to them. They said it was something to do with their faith and that should be respected. My Ex H used to do business with a company run by a family who adhered to a faith called the Plymouth Brethren. He wasn't allowed to actually go into their offices and none of them would have a cup of coffee with him because he wasn't of their faith. Should they be put out of business because they treated him as a lesser human being?

thelibster · 02/02/2011 22:01

their not they're! Blush

MrsAlanKey · 02/02/2011 22:02

I think the crux of it is its nice to have child free spaces so you can indulge in child innapropriate activities like bawdiness, swearing or surrounding yourself with tables of glass ornaments. The same doesn't apply to other groups.

CockularDepravity · 02/02/2011 22:05

Many, many people crave to go where children are not, and not all of those people are childless. The number of people who think that others want to be around their little brats is astonishing.

Morloth · 02/02/2011 22:13

YABU, my favourite romantic place is a 'No Under 16s'.

I love my children deeply and still find them very annoying. I don't care about yours at all and if they turned up somewhere that is supposed to be childfree then I would be murdering you in my mind for every yell, every mess, every splash.

When I am paying $800 per night for peace and ambience then I don't want to hear your kids.

I don't want to hear or smell anyone's dogs either. But it has to be said that my old dog was less disruptive/messy than my son.

There are thousands of places for holidays with kids and we use them all the time, but every now and again it is nice to go somewhere exclusively adult and enjoy the atmosphere.

If you don't like it, don't go there. If you don't want to fly on a childfree plane, don't.

Original poster
Millenniumbug · 02/02/2011 22:15

No, CD, the term you use to collectively refer to all children is astonishing.

OP posts:
CockularDepravity · 02/02/2011 22:17

A generalisation, nothing more. My point still stands.

Morloth · 02/02/2011 22:19

Right: Kids making noise here is fine and great and not a problem at all and should be encouraged etc.

Kids making noise here pisses me right the fuck off and yes I would be thinking, 'Little Brats why can't they shut the fuck up? What is wrong with their stupid parents, ruining this place for everyone'.