Is it unreasonable to expect parents to NOT take pictures at soft play when it is well posted that the centre forbids it?

[CurlyBoy]

I took my 2 yo boy to soft play today. One reason I like this one is that it has a policy of no photographs (the other is that they have proper coffee). This policy is well signed and is on the "rules" sheet that everyone should read and sign that they have done so. Our little guy is adopted and I can't risk any pics of him posted online. We really don't want the birth family to be nosing around. For all I know the photographer could be friends with the sister of birth dad or something.

Today I saw two different families photoing their kid. The first time I didn't say anything because my boy wasn't in the area but the second time he was. I asked a staffer if I was right about their policy (I was) and then asked her to make an announcement over the PA system to remind everyone.

If people can't follow the rules of an establishment then they shouldn't go. The policy is there for a reason!

Personally i'd prefer if pics were not taken in soft play, but those places are the home of Satan and I could not be paid to go into one again anyway so it's not a problem.

I do find it unusual how that you refer to your son as boy not ds? I've never seen that on here before.

Yanbu. People should be able to stick to simple rules.

I do think that people are quite ignorant of the reasons why some parents don't want their children photographed. I wasn't really aware of the reason you state before being on mums net, simply because I hadn't really thought about it. I do however have respect for the rules though, so wouln't have taken photographs anyway.

Smug - curious as to what you are insinuating with the 'boy' query?

Just asking

No photos is a daft rule.

1. The world isn't full of paedophiles.
2. The chance of a photo making it onto the web by which the birth mother of an adpoted child could see it, recognise their child and the soft play centre then use it to track down said child is pretty far fetched.

This is just silly. Some of our favourite pictures of our children are from soft-play birthday parties, parks, restaurants and other public places. This smacks of total paranoia and I wouldn't even consider this a proper rule. I can imagine that one crazy, bullying, parent demanded requested a "no-pictures" policy and the indoor playground, afraid of losing business, felt they had to institute a blanket-policy post-haste.

Smug I personally hate the whole ds dd dh business. So coy as to be nausea-inducing. I talk about having boys and girls. OP perhaps concurs.

Smugfearnleyshittingstool - Simply because I hate all the abbreviations on here and choose not to use them. Most of the time I can't work out what people are posting.

Too right lockets. That's why I have not even hinted what my location is, etc.

But the point that the OP has repeatedly made is that the rule IS there, and that was a factor in the decision to go to that particular soft play.

IceSnowItsYou - There are documented cases of it happening. More than I expected actually.

I haven't gone into any detail other than I have adopted a 2 yo boy. I feel pretty safe in keeping it that vague.

CurlyBoy you need to think about school etc we have a no pics of DC on stage etc rule at our DC 3 schools but parents are free to take pictures afterwards, our 4 yro and the older two know to go to teacher when the camera's come out, all our DC are left out of the group shot given to the parents and he steps into one that we pay extra to be taken. TBH in our experience this is the battle you need to prepare for and the need to explain to parents of your DC friends not to put random playdate pics up on F/B

Best to move your child out of shot and certainly don't cause a scene. It is your responsibility. As others said you could bump into his old family on the street. The vast majority of people like to take photos of their kids playing so they should be allowed to. I am not stupid and know the risks but the chances are very small. These places have rules like this just to cover themselves in the unlikely event that if a child was photographed and someone did recognise them they can say oh well we had signs up. They turn a blind eye as they should.

Thanks canyou, we're already preparing for it! :) We've already checked with our nursery about their policy and made sure no pics of the lad will be used anywhere.

You looking at my profile lockets? It only adds where I'm from and where my wife is from, not where we live now.

Stay123 - You must not have read the whole thread. The staff DID take it seriously. You're right. it IS my responsibility which is why I chose to go to a soft play that had this rule!

up;i have said alot about yourself on your profile. where you are from, who you have married and where they are from etc. that you are a bloke. then i would presume a seatch of all your posts could reveal an awful lot more about you. not that i cn be arsed to do that.

I take photos at soft play, don't care about the rules but only take photos with dc in them, not other children or people.

Slanket - I feel confident that nothing I've posted on MN can trace where we currently live.

Well curiosity got the better of me and I have done a search of all your posts CurlyBoy. Well there is a big picture emerging of your life. Where you are from, when you adopted your boy, your occupation (that was) etc.

If you are so concerned, i would get hq delete and then come back on here as a constant namechanger, like lots of others do.

Not specifically aimed at you, OP, but it seems that there are so many people now who don't take preventive action themselves, they demand and almost c-r-a-v-e intervention and special treatment from 'officials', validating their fears and sense of importance.

You can't make people follow rules but you can avoid putting yourself in that situation again if you think it's risky. It really isn't difficult and, having been to a soft play area that isn't 'secure' to your mind, don't go again...