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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

taking other peoples children to the pub..

30 replies

5madthings · 07/06/2013 12:58

Would you mind if on a 'play date' (boak) your child went to a pub?

Ds3 has a friend coming round after school today, he will be staying for dinner, till about 7pm. Normally on a day like today they could play out the front and in the garden, but dp is in the middle of doing garden and our trampoline needs a new safety net so garden not great for kids at mo.

But a few one from our house is a pub, we have to walk past it to get home. It has been taken over by new owners and refurbished including a brand new play area, wooden climbing frames and play house etc, its all enclosed and on safety flooring, looks lovely and the madthings have been asking to go. So I thought on way home we could stop there for a bit, I can have a coke, kids can have a packet of crisp and a play and then back to ours for dinner etc.

But would you mind your child going to the pub like this?

I wouldn't mind of it was one of mine, but I know some people might?

would you mind?

My default is that I probably won't drink BTW, I dont like wine anyway, tho a rum and coke is tempting I will prob wait for bedtime for that!

OP posts:
5Foot5 · 07/06/2013 13:00

I can't see why anyone would have an issue with this as you are going to be sitting outside while they play and not drinking yourself. Sounds a nice idea to me and Iwould not mind.

wigglesrock · 07/06/2013 13:01

Wouldn't bother me at all. My dd was at a friend's house last week after school and the Mum took them to the food court for something to eat.

OHforDUCKScake · 07/06/2013 13:03

My son would love that, and id not mind. I mean, it has a play area.

There were pubs like that where I grew up, when I was little I just to go there with friends and their parents.

We have no such luck round here for play stuff in pubs though.

GoofyIsACow · 07/06/2013 13:03

Can you take DS1 too please Grin and me

OnTheBottomWithAWomansWeekly · 07/06/2013 13:04

Maybe send a quick text to the parents beforehand, something along the lines of "My garden isn't safe for the kids to play in at the moment as here's work going on it in, so I'm thinking of taking them to the play area at X pub for a while so they can play properly outside"

Just so that when the little visitor goes home, he doesn't hang you by saying "5madthings sat drinking while we were in the pub all afternoon"!

BackforGood · 07/06/2013 13:08

What OTBWAWW said.
I have met families, who, for religious / cultural reasons won't go anywhere where alcohol is served, but I presume you would know if friend were likely to fall into that category ?

Original poster
5madthings · 07/06/2013 13:08

Yes that's my thought he will go home and say we went to the pub, I should see his mum at pick up time, but if not I can text her and say what we are doing.

OP posts:
sadlovedgirl · 07/06/2013 13:09

As long as I was told before hand, and therefore given the option for my child not to go, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Original poster
5madthings · 07/06/2013 13:09

Oh they are not religious, I know them well enough to know that :)

OP posts:
soontobeslendergirl · 07/06/2013 13:18

wouldn't bother me at all. But No1 son is partial to a shandy so you'd have to keep your eye on him :o

Original poster
5madthings · 07/06/2013 13:28

Ha ha no alcohol for the children, I might get them a fruit shoot each tho Shock Grin

OP posts:
HandMini · 07/06/2013 13:31

Hmm, all depends on you (a) telling them in advance and (b) explaining that you're going for the play area and not because you can't get through the afternoon without your usual four gins.

Absolutely nothing wrong with it, it's just the kind of thing that CAN be taken out of context. Do you know the parents well?

soontobeslendergirl · 07/06/2013 13:32

see I'm too tight to get them fruit shoots - i'd ask for a jug of tap water and take some plastic cups :o

MidniteScribbler · 07/06/2013 13:32

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest, sounds lovely. And I wouldn't even mind you having a rum and coke considering you aren't driving. Probably best to give mum a quick call and run it past her first though, just to be on the safe side.

HandMini · 07/06/2013 13:33

Also, will it be heaving? Assume not but some pubs in our area are spilling out on to the streets and out of control between about 5 and 7pm (post work pre commute drinkers).

thebody · 07/06/2013 13:33

Gosh think its a lovely treat. Anyone objecting to that wouldn't be a friend of mine anyhow.

Badvoc · 07/06/2013 13:35

Nope

Badvoc · 07/06/2013 13:35

Sorry, that meant nope I wouldn't mind!

Original poster
5madthings · 07/06/2013 13:40

The pub is generally pretty quiet, if it gets busy its only two mins to our house but I dont expect it will.

I know the mum fairly well I that we chat in the playground and have two boys the same age, her eldest is going to the same high school as my ds2 in sept, normally I would have both her boys round bit her eldest one is busy.

I think she will be fine but I would say she is slightly more cautious than I am in some parenting decisions, so I will mention it at pick up.

I could juat ask for tap water for the kids but as we will be using the play equip me t I think I should buy them a drink (fruit shoot/squash) as its a bit stingy to the pub if I don't, esp as I prob won't be drinking myself.

OP posts:
HairyGrotter · 07/06/2013 13:50

DD and I usually go to the pub on. Friday afternoon and wait for DP to meet us after work, there are usually many kids around and they love it!

I'd have no problem at all, just run it past them beforehand

kjrv81 · 07/06/2013 13:52

Not at all, my dd went to a family pub with a friends mum the other week. They had a lovely time.

BitOutOfPractice · 07/06/2013 13:59

I wouldn't mind thatat all. Sounds smashing. Pubs aren't the root of all evil are they?

Iggi101 · 07/06/2013 14:02

If you asked me can I take your firstborn to the pub, I'd be shocked! But if you said you wanted to take them to the play area at, say, Brewers Fayre, I'd think that was fine. Some parents would take kids to the pub to sit and watch them drink basically. If she doesn't know you too well she might not know what category you'd fall into!

HandMini · 07/06/2013 14:05

Iggi - exactly. There are pubs and pubs. OP is suggesting a famly friendly place, but if I didn't know the pub myself OR know the other mother well (and therefore trust her judgment) I wouldn't want my DD to be taken to a pub. They're not the root of all evil, but some of them are not suitable for children. That's why it's important that OP tells/checks with the friends mother.

Original poster
5madthings · 07/06/2013 17:29

I checked with the mum and she was fine, and another mum from.school overhead my plans and she then joined us at the pub with her two children as well and we had a lovely time :)

OP posts:
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